Volkswagen to pay $14.7 billion to settle emissions-cheating cases
After violating environmental and consumer laws for years, Volkswagen makes the largest-ever automotive buyback offer in the US
US agency proposes more stringent rules to curb downwind air pollution
The proposal is expected to reduce emissions from power plants in 23 states, protecting neighbouring states from ozone pollution
The truth about US emissions
A close look at the inventory published by the US Environmental Protection Agency shows emissions rose and dipped due to market forces and …
Climate negotiations moving at a slow pace, but seemingly in the right direction
Loss and damage continues to be a contentious issue while multiple spin-offs have slowed down the process
Children demand inclusion in water and sanitation programmes at UNICEF forum
More than 50 children from across the world participated at the two-day conference in Tajikistan
Mediterranean Sea accumulating plastic debris
Plastic remnants have been found in the stomach of small fish, seabirds, turtles and sperm whales which abound its waters
Mexico submits national contributions, says it will peak its emissions by 2026
Mexico is the first developing country to submit the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions ahead of Paris summit
Countries pledge US $9.3 billion to Green Climate Fund
Though the pledges were hailed as a trust-building development, many challenges still need to be addressed
Patently hollow claims of the US
Global organisations and academics defend India’s IP laws and call for US to back off
Menacing US diplomacy
Specialist attachés are strenuously pushing maximalist intellectual property rules worldwide
Myriad gains, we all lose
The US appeals court has upheld the patents for isolated human genes, ignoring scientists’ warning that it would obstruct vital research …
Bank’s first contest
Developing countries challenge US monopoly by putting up candidates for World Bank’s presidency
Science meets fiction
Down To Earth invites sci-fi buffs and writers to take its readers on a guided tour of the world of science fiction that throws a mirror to the …
Poisons we live with
Book>> What’s gotten into us? Staying healthy in a toxic world • by Mckay Jenkins, Random House • US $26
Turn on the tap
Why do Americans buy expensive bottled water when they have high quality tap water? That’s been an abiding enquiry for PETER GLEICK. …
COVID-19: 99% active cases are with mild symptoms
Spread of COVID-19 fastest in last seven months; the world added first million cases in four months, last million in four days
Green bonds: Is it green finance or green-washing?
A foremost requirement to develop a robust green bond market is to harmonise international and domestic guidelines and standards for …
Independence is at the heart of the African Development Bank’s ability to be effective
African Development Bank was first and only organisation to offer support to regional member countries’ effort at managing COVID-19 crisis
Coal’s end: DTE had predicted it in 2017
As more countries race to shut coal use forever, here is a recap of our cover story from three years ago
For a day, thousands of scientists halt work to protest racism
The aim was to stop business-as-usual for a day and initiate long-term action plan — protesting, educating themselves on issues faced …
Microplastics, microbeads: What you did not know about self-care products
Bureau of Indian Standards in 2017 proposed a ban on raw materials not recognised safe for use in cosmetics from 2020. The status of the ban is&…
COVID-19: Asia-Pacific countries must act against recession-induced hunger
Sub-Saharan Africa, home to the world’s highest hunger rates, must now brace for its first recession in a quarter of a century
'Female health workers played a critical role in making Africa wild polio-free'
Tunji Funsho, who led the effort to make Nigeria wild polio-free, says COVID-19 is a setback to the last mile of polio eradication
Coronavirus variants: why being more transmissible rather than more deadly isn’t good news
At the heart of this assertion lies an old foe that has plagued us right from the start of this pandemic: exponential growth
COVID-19: Worst economic performance by very poor countries in 30 years
43 least developed countries are experiencing a fall in their average income levels, says UNCTAD report