Antarctic ice melt could disrupt the world’s oceans: Study

The Straits Times | March 31, 2023

SINGAPORE – A major ocean circulation that forms around Antarctica could be headed for collapse, risking significant changes to the world’s weather, sea levels and the health of marine ecosystems, scientists say, offering a stark warning about the growing impacts of climate change.

Global warming is accelerating the melting of ice in Antarctica, and the increased amount of fresh water flooding into the ocean is disrupting the flow of the Antarctic overturning circulation, according to a study published on Wednesday in the journal Nature.

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Centre introduces amendment to forest conservation law; experts say move will destroy forests

The New Indian Express | March 31, 2023

The Bill emphasised on diversion of ‘deemed forest’ for non-forest use. The deemed forest is a kind of forest that is not notified as a forest, but in governments’ records, it is considered a forest.

Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav introduced the forest conservation amendment bill in the Lok Sabha. The Bill intends to exempt lakhs of hectares of forest land from mandatory forest clearance laws. Environmentalists see the amendments as a dilution of strong forest laws, consequently degrading the existing forest.

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Modi Govt Allows Commercial Mining in Captive Blocks Even in Reserved Forests

News click | Ayaskant Das | 30 March, 2023

Restrictions placed through forest clearance approvals on commercial sale of minerals from captive mines nullified with post facto effect.

New Delhi: In what could have far-reaching implications for the environment and livelihoods of communities living near forested areas of the country, the Narendra Modi government has allowed commercial mining from captive blocks even within reserve forests.

In a circular dated March 17, the Central government has asked state governments to allow lease holders of captive mines within reserved forests to sell up to 50% of total minerals extracted in a year after meeting end-use restrictions.

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Forest cover down in 10 out of 13 Himalayan states: Report

The New Indian Express | March 24, 2023

However, the rest of the 10 states that have seen a reduction in forest areas are Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Ladakh.

NEW DELHI: According to India State of Forest Report (ISFR), there is an overall increase in forest cover of the country by 5,516sq.km between ISFR 2017 and ISFR 2021. Some states have shown an increase in forest cover, while others have shown a decline.

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Tribal peoples across India join forces to denounce Protected Areas on their lands.

Survival | March 24, 2023

Hundreds of Indigenous (Adivasi) people from Protected Areas across India joined forces in Nagarhole Tiger Reserve in southwest India for an unprecedented week-long protest march against the seizing of their lands to create so-called ‘Protected Areas’ for conservation, including tiger reserves.

The protest was centered on the world-famous Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, which was imposed, without consent, on the ancestral land of the Jenu Kuruba, who are renowned for their prowess as honey collectors, as well as the Beta Kuruba, Yarava and Pania tribes.

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