Podcast · Tech & Science

Climate Emergency

by Suno India · English · Tech & Science

In India, every year, the summers are getting longer, the winters harsher and the downpours intense. Floods in Assam, droughts in Tamil Nadu and growing problem of water scarcity in many states are no longer an abnormality but the new reality!There is an urgency to solve the problems caused by human

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 25 min
Latest: 31 Jul 2024
Language: English

Latest episode

31 Jul 2024 · 19 min

Is Solar energy the answer to Bihar’s power shortage?

Bihar has the lowest electricity consumption per person in India, mostly due to lack of power availability. The government is now focusing on solar energy projects, like rooftop installations, floating solar panels, and solar street lights, to boost clean energy. But is this solar energy boom in Bihar addressing the energy poverty challenge? Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya travelled to the neighbouring villages in Gaya district of Bihar to understand how renewable energy is penetrating in Bihar. This episode explores the extent of solar adoption in the state and looks at whether solar adoption…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

30 Jul 2024 · 24 min
How can we save the Himalayas?
In this final episode in the Joshimath series, Sudeshna Chowdhury speaks to an anthropologist, Lokesh Ohri who talks about how ancient rituals had always held nature in high esteem and how a sustainable development model is paramount for protecting the Himalayas. See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.
29 Jul 2024 · 22 min
Who is to be blamed for Joshimath sinking?
The Tapovan Vishnugad hydropower project undertaken by NTPC since 2006 is the biggest bone of contention between the people of Joshimath and the government. Residents say that it is this project that has caused disaster in the region. On the other hand, government representatives have steered away from blaming the NTPC for the disaster. Sudeshna Chowdhury speaks to different parties to unravel the reasons behind the disaster See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.
27 Jul 2024 · 13 min
Why were environmental risk warnings on Joshimath ignored?
Studies in the 1970s indicated that the town is located in a fragile area rendering the region unsuitable for construction of massive infrastructural projects. In this episode, Sudeshna Chowdhury speaks to scientists and environmentalists to understand the landscape of the place and what lies beneath its earth that makes it susceptible to land subsidence. See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.
24 Jul 2024 · 21 min
Why is Joshimath sinking?
Joshimath, an ancient spiritual town in Uttarakhand, is facing an existential threat due to land subsidence or urban sinking. Future of people who call this town their home is uncertain. The entire region has been divided into danger zones and safe zones. Some residents seek compensation to give up their homes while some don’t want to move at all. Sudeshna Chowdhury visits the town and speaks to residents to find out more about the issue. See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.
15 Jul 2024 · 31 min
Is India ready for ‘district cooling’?
This summer, temperatures in India soared beyond 45 degrees Celsius, sparking discussions about the necessity of cooling as a fundamental need rather than a luxury. In India, fans, coolers and later air conditioners have been effectively used for seeking comfort from the heat. But with rising CO2 levels, experts have expressed the need for sustainable cooling methods. In countries with modern and planned infrastructural settlements such as Japan, Canada, Middle East, Sweden, USA, France and some parts of Europe- ‘District Cooling’ has been used as a popular cooling solution. But what exactly…
12 Jul 2024 · 32 min
How climate change is impacting tribals and forests in India
In the past few years, Jharkhand has seen extreme climate shifts which have affected the forests. The forests are home to various forest flowers, fruits, roots and stems that have been used for medicinal, consumption, healing, trade and many purposes and some have also been used as a livelihood measure. Many products have also been used in urban centres in daily cooking, like lac and tamarind. The climate shifts have resulted in reduced forest produce, affecting the livelihoods of tribal people here. For reporting on this episode, Sushmita visited remote villages located deep inside forests.…
2 Jul 2024 · 18 min
Can Indian cities survive the heat by urban cooling?
Extreme heat this summer has indicated the need for a robust urban cooling system. It shows an urgent need to build community cooling centres which can be accessed by the most vulnerable groups such as the urban poor, women and elderly. To understand the challenges and solutions for urban cooling in Indian cities, Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya spoke to Abhiyant Tiwari , who is the lead climate resilience and health consultant at National Research Development Corporation or NRDC India . He talks about the feasibility and scalability of cooling strategies like community cooling centres and…
26 Jun 2024 · 11 min
How heatwaves advisories fail the urban poor
This year, Delhi faced severe heat waves with temperatures that soared past 45 degrees on several days. The most vulnerable people—those who live in informal settlements—suffered the brunt of this extreme weather. The Union Health Ministry and India Meteorological Department issued public health advisories as heatwave conditions persisted in various parts of the country. The advisories talk about following precautions such as monitoring the health of vulnerable individuals, staying hydrated, staying indoors during peak hours, keeping the house cool and so on. Suno India's Sneha Richhariya…
19 Jun 2024 · 32 min
How recycled plastic could be harmful?
There is a strong belief that recycled plastic is always good for the environment, and is safe to use. But increasing, increasing evidence shows that recycled plastic should be used with caution. Toxics Link , a Delhi based environmental research and advocacy organisation conducted a research to assess the toxic contaminants in recycled plastic products that were recycled in Delhi. As part of this study, 15 samples of recycled plastic products, including food contact materials and toys were tested. In this episode, Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya spoke to Priti Mahesh who has authored this…
3 Jun 2024 · 14 min
Indian Solar Dream - How far is Ayodhya from becoming a solar city?
As part of an aggressive push on solar, there is a strong emphasis on establishing “ solar cities ” in Uttar Pradesh. Ayodhya is being developed as a model solar city under the Solar City program in Uttar Pradesh. How far is Ayodhya from becoming a Solar city? How will the Solar City initiative change Ayodhya and the lives of its people? Where do people stand in Ayodhya’s Solar city dreams? Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya travelled to energy poor areas of Uttar Pradesh to find out what the solar schemes like PM Suryaghar Muft Bijli Yojna and other policies on solar mean to the people. In this…
28 May 2024 · 20 min
Indian Solar Dream - Few takers for govt residential solar scheme
Connecting more and more people with solar energy has become an election plank for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana , announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Ram Mandir was consecrated in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024, 10 million poor and middle-class households in India are supposed to get residential rooftop solar. In this series, Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya investigates what a scheme like this means to the people. In May 2024, she travelled to some energy-poor areas of north India. Where do the poor and the middle people fit into…
23 Apr 2024 · 6 min
What the Supreme court verdict means for climate change action in India?
On April 6, 2024, the Supreme Court gave a landmark judgement bringing the right to be free from adverse effects of climate change within the ambit of fundamental rights. Indian jurisprudence had earlier held that people had a right to clean air and a clean environment. The right to be free from adverse effects of climate change is a new addition. This flows naturally from the right to life, and the right to equality guaranteed in the Constitution under Article 21 and 14 respectively. But what are the implications of this ruling for climate litigation in India? How will this help in India’s…
17 Apr 2024 · 27 min
How to stay cool without warming the earth?
The cooling industry contributes significantly to global CO2 emissions. As pressure mounts to address climate impacts, there's a crucial need for the industry to overhaul its manufacturing and disposal practices of appliances. But how are your cooling appliances making the climate worse? What exactly is energy efficiency and what makes an appliance energy-efficient? What role can the consumers play? What do they do with their refrigerant-filled equipment once they are done using them? Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya spoke to Bishal Thapa, senior director at CLASP, an international nonprofit…
10 Apr 2024 · 23 min
How inclusive is Delhi’s new solar policy?
On 17th March 2024, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the Capital notified the new Delhi Solar Policy, 2024 , rolling out larger incentives and subsidies for people to install solar power systems at their homes and businesses. The vision is to make solar energy accessible and affordable for all consumers in Delhi. In the past months, the government has repeatedly promoted the policy that appears less like an environmental step taken to reduce emissions, but more like a policy to push subsidies and reduce electricity bills. Notably, the policy is being sold to all middle and…
2 Apr 2024 · 12 min
The Return of El-Nino- What is so hot about this summer?
In early March 2024, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted a hot summer this year, with above-normal temperatures and an above-normal number of heatwave days from March to May. On 5th March 2024, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), a specialised agency of the UN, said in a media release that the 2023-24 El Niño , one of the five strongest on record, has peaked and is gradually weakening — but it will continue to impact climate around the world in the coming months. We’re playing an episode from last year where Sneha Richhariya explained what El-Nino is, what impact it…
20 Mar 2024 · 25 min
Where is Bangalore’s water?
We're seeing what is being called one of the worst droughts in recent years in Karnataka. Bangalore has become unliveable. Bangalore has access to only half the amount of water that it needs on a daily basis. There's no water in many high and mid-rise buildings, gated colonies. The government is rationing out water tankers, construction using the adjacent Kaveri river is banned, new bore wells are being dug and so on. In this episode of Climate Emergency, Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya speaks to Shreya Nath , who heads the urban water program at Well Labs, which is an environmental research…
19 Feb 2024 · 38 min
Can e-cooking be the future of Indian kitchens?
Access to clean cooking has been on the radar of policymakers for several decades. With over half of rural households still using traditional, polluting cooking methods, the need for cleaner alternatives is more pressing than ever. In this episode of Climate Emergency, Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya speaks to Noble Varghese , who has studied India’s transition to e-cooking. Why should we think about transitioning to cleaner cooking options, more specifically e-cooking? How are India’s villages going to see this transition? Is e-cooking more polluting than LPG? Can India make e-cooking a…
9 Feb 2024 · 34 min
How Uttarakhand is learning to live with leopards
More than 500 people lost their lives in human-wildlife conflict between January 2000 to December 2023, as per the data gathered by the forest department. In 2023 alone, more than 20 persons died of conflict with leopards in the state. The state’s Living with Leopards programme is trying to mitigate these conflicts. The programme that originated in Mumbai’s Sanjay Gandhi National Park kicked off around 2016 when several non-profits such as Titli Trust, Wildlife Conservation India along with the forest officials sat down and discussed the problem. The programme that was piloted in three…
20 Jan 2024 · 32 min
Why does India’s ban on single-use plastic look skewed?
Efforts towards fighting plastic pollution are being made by governments across the world. India is also speeding up its fight against plastic pollution. On July 1, 2022, a ban was imposed on single-use plastic items. This ban was ambitious, covering 19 items. In this episode, Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya tries to dig deep and understand all about single-use plastics. She speaks to retail shopkeepers, wholesalers whose businesses rely heavily on single use plastic items and to Siddharth Singh from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) who has conducted a study to assess the status of…
12 Jan 2024 · 17 min
Why are the Adivasis protesting in Chhattisgarh's Hasdeo Arand Forest?
On 21st and 22nd December, 2023, authorities in Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district cleared thousands of trees over hundreds of hectares for the phase-2 extension of coal mines in the Hasdeo Arand forest. Over the past one decade, Adivasis have been a part of a struggle to save Hasdeo Arand forests that stretch across over 1,500 km through Chhattisgarh. The area is home to India’s tribal communities, with an estimated five billion tonnes of coal buried under the dense forests. In this episode of Climate Emergency, Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya speaks to Adivasis from villages in Korba and…
22 Dec 2023 · 26 min
Youth Leading the Way- COP28 Expectations with Disha Ravi
In this episode, Rakesh Kamal, host of of the Climate Emergency Podcast sits down with Disha Ravi, a prominent voice from an environmental awareness youth group, Fridays for Future India. She talks about the expectations and aspirations of the youth as they are participating in the critical climate change negotiations at COP28 in Dubai. Disha shares her realistic insights into the role of young activists, the challenges they face, and the impact they hope to make on the global stage. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation on the power of youth involvement in shaping the future of our…
19 Dec 2023 · 38 min
Reporters diary of COP28
The climate change conference, COP28, where the world gathered to make agreements to solve the climate crisis, has wrapped up in Dubai. It's now a crucial moment for assessment and contemplation. Was the conference effective? Are we progressing as planned to achieve the objectives set out in the Paris Agreement? And, importantly, is the Global South experiencing upliftment or facing neglect? Climate Emergency podcast editor- Rakesh Kamal has reported from the grounds of COP28 in Dubai. In this episode, host Sneha Richhariya speaks with Rakesh about his observations, experiences, and…
12 Dec 2023 · 23 min
COP28 Unveiled- Decoding the Global Stocktake
In this episode of "Climate Emergency," host Rakesh Kamal engages in a conversation with Vaibhav Chaturvedi, a fellow at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), a leading think tank in Asia. He delves into the heart of the global stocktake (GST) in climate change negotiations, unraveling key developments and emerging trends witnessed at COP28 in Dubai. Vaibhav Chaturvedi brings a wealth of knowledge and perspective, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities presented during this critical international climate summit. This episode provides a comprehensive overview of the…
11 Dec 2023 · 26 min
Adapting to a Changing World- Insights from COP on Global Goal on Adaptation
Join host Rakesh Kamal in this episode of "Climate Emergency" as he sits down with Arun Krishnan from the Climate Policy Initiative to delve into one of the most contested issue at COP28 in Dubai "the Global Goal on Adaptation". As the world gears up for outcomes from COP28 in Dubai, Arun sheds light on the challenges that lie ahead and opportunities that are being missed. Gain insights into the crucial discussions surrounding climate policy, adaptation strategies, and the collective efforts needed to address the urgent climate emergency. Don't miss this informative and timely conversation…
10 Dec 2023 · 30 min
Rooted Resilience- Grassroots Heroes in the COP Arena
In this episode of "Climate Emergency," host Rakesh Kamal engages in a compelling conversation with Ranjan Panda environmental activist and Convenor at Combat Climate Change Network, India, and Co-Founder, Youth4Water. He discusses the pivotal role of grassroots organizations in the battle against climate change, particularly within the context of international platforms like the Conference of the Parties (COP). Ranjan Panda shares his insights into how these local efforts can influence global decisions. Gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by these organizations, their…
9 Dec 2023 · 26 min
Youth Voices for Climate- Empowering Climate Action at COP28 Dubai
In this episode, Host Rakesh Kamal delves into a conversation with Aakash Raanison – a passionate environmentalist, content creator, influencer, Author and documentary maker. In this episode, Aakash talks about how today's youth can actively engage at COP28 in Dubai. He also shares his experiences and insights on how the younger generation can make a meaningful impact on the global stage, influencing policies and fostering change. Tune in for an engaging discussion on navigating the path towards a sustainable and climate-resilient world. See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.
30 Nov 2023 · 45 min
What do young climate leaders feel about global Climate Negotiations?
In the lead-up to COP28, the call for increased youth engagement in climate negotiations resonates more powerfully than ever. As the world gears up for another critical COP session, the question looms: to what extent will global leaders heed the diverse experiences and perspectives of a generation least accountable for climate change but most susceptible to its repercussions? For this pre-COP episode of Climate Emergency, host Sneha Richhariya and Editor Rakesh Kamal spoke to Heeta Lakhani and Aditya Mukarji , two of the 17 UN-recognized young climate leaders, about what they think of…
28 Nov 2023 · 14 min
Can India tackle air pollution through artificial rain?
There are videos on social media suggesting that an artificial rain experiment by IIT Kanpur can tackle air pollution and drought and that this artificially induced rainfall is likely to have “no negative consequences on the environment”. Videos on social media claim this as a “sustainable solution”. However, this isn't the first time that cloud seeding has been suggested as a possible solution for air pollution in Delhi. Some experts say that it is complicated, an expensive exercise whose efficacy in battling pollution is not completely proven, and that more research is needed to understand…
18 Nov 2023 · 34 min
Remembering MS Swaminathan
India lost one of its most renowned agricultural scientists, MS Swaminathan, on September 28th, 2023. He not just spearheaded the green revolution and pulled the South Asian masses out of a famine, but also contributed immensely to this field by engaging in solution-oriented deliberations and discussions with various stakeholders. He involved farmers into his mission. He involved politicians in his mission, and the global scientists too. In this episode, Sharada Balasubramanian talks to R Ramkumar, agricultural economist from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. Ramkumar talks about…

About Climate Emergency

Climate Emergency is a English tech & science podcast from Suno India. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Suno India
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 25 min
Latest episode: 31 Jul 2024
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1470816709
Rights: 2026 Suno India

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