Reportage on a planet without equitable or sustainable development.
A puzzling assertion on climate change
In November 2009, the ministry of environment and forests released a discussion paper that argues there is no sign of any abnormal retreat among Indian glaciers. And says instead that it is “premature to make a statement that glaciers in the Himalayas are retreating abnormally because of … global warming”.
This was a baffling statement. In the preceding months, the government has released a National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC); it has announced plans to set up a National Institute of Climate and Environment (NICE) for climate research and it plans to shortly unveil the National Solar Mission. Add to all that, there have been the bold, forward-looking statements from Jairam Ramesh, minister for environment & forests, on the need to combat climate change.
On the whole. Do we see climate change as a threat or not?
I am an Indian journalist with interests in energy, environment, climate and India’s ongoing slide into right-wing authoritarianism. My book, Despite the State, an examination of pervasive state failure and democratic decay in India, was published by Westland Publications, India, in January 2021. My work has won the Bala Kailasam Memorial Award; the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award; and five Shriram Awards for Excellence in Financial Journalism. Write to me at despitethestate@protonmail.com.
“Westland closure: Titles that are selling fast and a few personal recommendations,” by Chetana Divya Vasudev, Moneycontrol. (Because this happened too. In February, a year after DtS was released, Amazon decided to shutter Westland, which published the book. The announcement saw folks rushing to buy copies of Westland books before stocks run out.)
Fractured/Earth 
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