Fuel vs food? Economic Survey flags early warning signs of ethanol reshaping crop priorities, causing decline in crops of pulses

The Economic Survey 2025-26 said India's ethanol blending program is reshaping crop priorities, with farmers favoring maize over pulses and oilseeds, risking food security. Calling the current trends “early warning signals” the latest survey warns of increased dependence on edible oil imports and food price volatility, highlighting a conflict between energy and food self-reliance, DTE reported. 

Maize has rapidly emerged as a primary, yet controversial, feedstock for India’s ethanol program, DTE report said. Between (FY) 2022 and FY2025, maize production grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.77 per cent, while the area under the crop expanded by 6.68 per cent, the report said citing the survey. 

The outlet added that over  the same period, pulses saw a decline in both output and acreage, while oilseeds recorded only marginal acreage growth of 1.7 per cent annually. Cereals, excluding maize, grew at 2.9 per cent. Both are central to India’s consumption basket and nutritional outcomes, yet they are shifting lower down the priority order for the nation’s cultivators, the Survey highlighted. It warned that over time, this imbalance could risk entrenching India’s dependence on edible oil imports and exposing domestic food prices to greater volatility during supply shocks.

Himalaya-Karakoram glacial flood risks poorly assessed, badly monitored study warns

Warming-driven expansion of glacial lakes is outpacing risk assessment and adaptation, leaving nearly a million people exposed to GLOFs, reported DTE. 

The growing numbers, size, and volume of glacial lakes driven by global warming across the Himalaya-Karakoram ranges have not been correctly assessed for risk despite likelihood of catastrophic flooding events, according to a new study. A paper published in the journal npj Natural Hazards this month warned that lack of enough research is making it harder for nearly one million people living within 10 kilometres of glacial lakes to prepare for sudden and potentially devastating floods.  Researchers warn gaps in data, field studies and early-warning systems are hindering adaptation

AC demand to spike up in global south, as Earth heats up

Poorer nations such as India, Nigeria, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Philippines will witness a rise in cooling demand before reaching the 1.5°C threshold, which will require significant adaptation measures to be implemented early on, says the new study published in Nature Sustainability. The lead author of the study said many homes may need air conditioning to be installed in the next five years, but temperatures will continue to rise long after that if we hit 2.0 of global warming, reported the HT. 

Citing the study the outlet added that by 2050, nearly 3.8 billion people — almost half the world’s population — will live with extreme heat if global temperatures rise 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

The newspaper pointed out that in India alone, cooling degree days are projected to increase 13.4% as warming shifts from 1°C to 2°C above pre-industrial levels. Cooling degree days measure the difference between mean temperature and the base cooling temperature of 18.3°C, serving as a proxy for air conditioning needs.

Wealthier northern nations such as Canada, Russia, Norway and Sweden will save on energy bills while developing countries face massive infrastructure costs for cooling systems, electricity grid expansion and the energy expenses of running air conditioners inp regions where many lack reliable power, the newspaper said. 

There is “limited evidence” that the Paris Agreement significantly altered business strategies in auto sector: study

New study says the Paris Agreement did not shift corporate strategy in industries, mainly  the automotive sector, reported Science Direct. The analysis covers twelve global automakers, responsible for almost 80% of worldwide vehicle production, using six categories of primary evidence to assess strategic change. The researchers found only limited evidence of decarbonization strategies tied to the Paris Agreement, suggesting that firm responses were at best incremental rather than transformative. The findings challenge optimistic accounts of the Paris Agreement's influence and call for continued efforts to understand the limits of international agreements in driving firm behavior to address climate change. 

Almost 4,000 climate-related policies from 43 OECD countries and “major emerging economies” drove down CO2 emissions by 3.1bn tonnes over 2000-22: Study 

Countries’ climate policy portfolios specializing in instrument types and sectors result in faster reductions in fossil CO2 emission intensity, latest study has found. The study used data on 3,917 policy instruments across 43 OECD countries and major emerging economies from 2000-2022. The research showed quantitative evidence that the effectiveness of climate policy is amplified by long-term emission reduction targets and the presence of dedicated governmental bodies including ministries and intergovernmental organisations. The cumulative effect of all climate policy portfolios over our study period amounts to 3.1 GtCO2 fewer emissions in 2022 relative to a no-policy counterfactual - substantially less than what’s needed to stay on track for the Paris Agreement goals.

Including carbon emissions from permafrost thaw and fires reduces the remaining carbon budget for limiting warming to 1.5C by 25%

New research has found that if events of permafrost thaw and fire-related carbon emissions are included in global-scale climate models they reduce the remaining allowable carbon budgets from 2025 onward by 25 % (± 12 %) for avoiding 1.5 °C and 17 % (± 7 %) for avoiding 2.0 °C, relative to simulations without these processes. Accounting for these additional emissions is critical for setting emissions reduction targets aligned with the Paris Agreement, the study said. Rapid Arctic warming is thawing carbon-rich permafrost, releasing greenhouse gases that accelerate climate change. Despite the importance of this feedback, permafrost-enabled global-scale models simulate only gradual, top-down thickening of the seasonally-thawed soil. The scientists said this ignores abrupt permafrost thaw and intensifying fire regimes that combust soil carbon and further accelerate thaw.