Dangers ahead at WTO
The trade facilitation agreement paves the way for fresh pressures on developing countries such as tariff cuts on industrial products
World population touches 7 billion
Ten billionth baby likely by end of the century if population growth continues at current rate
Bringing Google to book
Google’s digital library project went too far, creating a monopoly over the heritage of books
Biden approves the Willow project — What is it and why has it invited so much backlash?
The vast oil drilling project in Alaska is inconsistent with President Biden’s pledges to lead on climate action
The world needs pharmaceuticals from China and India to beat COVID-19
Chinese manufacturers make around 40% of all APIs used worldwide; China, India are the source of 75-80% of APIs imported to US
Now healthy ads sell junk food
Commercials mislead consumers by shifting the focus from poor nutrition to physical exercise
OECD’s ‘new’ narrative on economic policy isn’t exactly new
It fails to acknowledge capitalism’s role in locking humanity into a regime of consumption-driven growth, resource extraction and widening …
“The source of the danger is black people” — Why is racism normalised in conservation?
Extra-judicial killings of innocent people — including children — in Africa and Asia are airily dismissed as collateral damage in a &…
Why Shell’s proposed oil exploration in the Arctic is making news
A recent business announcement by Shell and persistent protests by environment activists have added to the uncertainty over the oil exploration …
When flu turns fatal
In the past two months, as many as 1,198 people in India have died of swine flu, a disease which is only as threatening as seasonal flu. Jyotsna …
Latin American and Caribbean nations highly vulnerable to climate change
Economic costs of climate change will be around 2.5 per cent of annual GDP of Latin America and the Caribbean if temperature rises 2.5°C …
Neo-addiction
Youngsters are getting hooked on flavoured e-cigarettes. Studies belie manufacturers’ claims
Climate ambition requires reform of current financial system: CSE report
Current form of financing is adding burden on developing countries, CSE and other experts discuss at webinar
‘Increased representation of women, ethnic groups not enough to overcome biases in STEM’
Down to Earth speaks to Meena Balagopal, educational researcher and ecologist, CSU, on gender bias and racism in STEM disciplines
COVID-19: How far will green stimulus to combat climate change go?
COVID-19 disruptions caused shocks to power and oil sector that will cause drop in carbon emissions. However, long-term implications are uncertain
WTO ‘for’ US meat exports; Indian poultry eaters at increased risk of antibiotic resistance
India’s measures against avian influenza were termed as ‘inconsistent’ by WTO
Big pharma’s dirty tricks
Drug giants from GSK, Abbott and Pfizer to Bayer have been fined for serious malpractices. They should be under close watch in India
Disclosure-shy industry
Pharma and biotech firms are lobbying hard to block disclosure of origin of genetic material used in inventions, but they also raise thorny issues
WTO gives India a clean chit
Apex trade regulator finds nothing amiss in India's intellectual property laws after exhaustive review
Rising sea levels prompt South Florida to demand statehood
The rising levels threaten to submerge living spaces, national parks and a nuclear reactor site
World Bank won't fund Luhri hydropower project in Himachal
Move to withdraw US $ 650 million follows inspection and review by USAID of environmental and social impacts of the project
One step forward, two steps back
Countries want to do little to keep global average temperature rise to below 2oC. The Warsaw climate talks have exposed this. A report by Uthra …
Ethics on trial
Five per cent of the clinical trials conducted across the world will be in India by 2012. They are vital for confirming the efficacy of a new drug,…
Power games at UN climate talks
Climate talks unfolded amid high drama. Developing countries protested inaction by developed countries, civil society organisations walked out, …
World gets a yellow card
The Warsaw climate talks serve a grim warning to the world that inaction will cost, writes Chandra Bhushan as he leaves Warsaw just before the …