Full Coverage: Biodiversity

17.04.2008 Celebrated Indian wildlife filmmaker Mike Pandey feels that corporate groups should fund documentaries as part of their social responsibilities, which can be used to sensitise urban audiences on the need to preserve nature. He is of the view that most of the policies on environment protection in India remain on paper.

15.04.2008 A project funded by Wildlife Trust of India is helping prevent human conflict with the endangered Asiatic black bears in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. It has also helped in increased participation of locals in conservation activities in this northern state.

10.04.2008 Despite the ban on hunting since 1991, rampant corruption and poor law enforcement have made it possible for poachers and forest dwellers to feast on some of India's endangered species. The craze for bushmeat is leading many creatures to near-extinction, says Shruti Ravindran

08.04.2008 Often marginalised from the political power, minorities all over the world have little or no voice in decision-making. State of the WorldÂ’s Minorities 2008, a flagship publication of Minority Rights Group provides a comprehensive account of the impact of climate change on the minorities and indigenous people and highlights some opportunities for change.

31.03.2008 To mark its 25th anniversary, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) along with Mountain Forum, is organising a Global Digital Photo Contest on the theme ‘For Mountains and People’. The deadline for submission of entries is May 9, 2008.

20.03.2008 Do you care for the tiger? Get involved with World Wildlife Fund-India's signature campaign Roar of the Tiger to save the rapidly depleting tiger population from extinction. The objective is to impress upon policymakers for greater efforts on tiger conservation through heightened public awareness.

18.03.2008 With over 100,000 Oliver Ridley turtles dying over the last decade in Orissa in eastern India, Greenpeace has set a target limit of 20% on turtle mortalities for the state government. Despite adequate funds, the state has failed to prevent illegal trawling.

05.03.2008 The newly-opened Global Seed Vault (GSV) at Svalbard in Norway is being criticised by Indian and other NGOs for excluding farmers from its institutional framework. Farmers being the first link in the food chain, should be involved in conserving genetic biodiversity, they argue.

28.02.2008 BROOKLIN, Canada, Feb 27 (IPS) - Free, authoritative and online: 1.8 million species.

15.02.2008 An unusual corporate environmental programme by a global bank draws over a hundred bird enthusiasts each year in India. The annual bird races promote awareness of natural habitats and help collect data. The last race at Bangalore spotted 277 bird species – a quarter of all birds found on the Indian subcontinent.

12.02.2008 The Western Ghats in India cover six states and have an incredible diversity of species as also some of the finest examples of moist deciduous and tropical forests. Preventing the ecological degradation due to construction and other activities is now the main concern of the environmentalists.

22.01.2008 Vandana Shiva continued to stand up for the rights of women, small farmers, and others marginalized by modern society, particularly in the face of corporate-led expansions in the agriculture and biofuel sectors.

16.01.2008 The Indian fishing communities are upset with the Ministry of Environment and Forests on being left out of the consultation process over an Integrated Coastal Zone Management scheme under World Bank guidelines. They say the government is trying to bring in Special Economic Zones, tourist resorts and ports all along India's coastline.

02.01.2008 In its recent judgment, the Supreme Court of India might have given a temporary respite to the people living in OrissaÂ’s Niyamgiri Hills, when it prevented Vedanta from mining. The apex court, however, fails to take into account the larger issue of biodiversity and the lives of the tribals. Kanchi Kohli, of the Kalpavriksh Environmental Action Group analyses the verdict.

31.12.2007 The Nepal government will spend US$ 1.1 million to set up a national science laboratory to carry out advanced research on biotechnology, biofuels and renewable energy. The laboratory, due to open in the beginning of 2010, will be managed by the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST).

31.12.2007 Hundreds of villagers stopped a recent public hearing on a proposed methane mining project in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, backed by a report by the Centre for Science and Environment that says the venture will adversely impact hydrology, agriculture and biodiversity. Australia-based Arrow Energy, the Swedish Energy Infrastructure Group, and GAIL India plan to mine methane in the Raigarh and Korba districts of the state.

21.12.2007 Protecting endangered peatland areas will drastically reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

05.10.2007 IndiaÂ’s leading wildlife and environment magazine Sanctuary Asia, Bengal Tiger Line and the Sundarban Tiger Reserve have come together to save the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger and its habitat, the Sunderbans. The campaign kicked off at Kolkata, marking the start of the National Wildlife Week on October 1st

05.10.2007 Besides interfering with the migration and nesting habits of the famous Olive Ridley turtle, the proposed canal will have a significant impact on some of the most important marine biodiversity areas of mainland India, say environmentalists

24.09.2007 BOGOTA, Sep 23 (OneWorld) - An environmental gold-mining initiative is set to double its production this year in an attempt to keep up with increasing national and global demand.