Rishika Pardikar
@rishpardikar.bsky.social
Environment and climate reporter covering science, law & policy | Drilled, Article-14, AGU's Eos, African Arguments, The Hindu, The Continent
📍Bengaluru, India
📍Bengaluru, India
Pinned
In India’s Coal Belt, a Window into the Challenges Facing Energy Transition
India’s reliance on coal is tied to a complex set of economic, social, and energy security factors; any successful energy transition plan will have to address all of them.
drilled.media
A 'Coal in India' explainer for @drilledmedia.bsky.social. Historical roots to nationalisation & back to privatisation, worker issues, Adani & state favour, resistance by Adivasi communities & police action & underground mining. Context: non-existent energy transition
drilled.media/news/india-c...
drilled.media/news/india-c...
Reposted by Rishika Pardikar
New paper! How are emissions scenarios 📉 from the IPCC (and other sources) actually used by decision-makers? We asked them, and the results are out just in time for the holidays 🧑🎄🤶🧑🎄 (with @idasogn.bsky.social & @climansen.bsky.social)
Analysing the use of emissions scenarios in practice - npj Climate Action
npj Climate Action - Analysing the use of emissions scenarios in practice
www.nature.com
December 23, 2025 at 2:14 PM
New paper! How are emissions scenarios 📉 from the IPCC (and other sources) actually used by decision-makers? We asked them, and the results are out just in time for the holidays 🧑🎄🤶🧑🎄 (with @idasogn.bsky.social & @climansen.bsky.social)
Indian govt is designing the 2nd phase of the flagship solar scheme for farmers called PM-KUSUM. Interviewed a young researcher who has conducted extensive groundwork on the 1st phase about what went right and where there is scope for lots of improvement
frontline.thehindu.com/environment/...
frontline.thehindu.com/environment/...
PM-KUSUM at a Crossroads: Why India’s Solar Push Must Put Farmers First
As PM-KUSUM enters its second phase, experts warn that chasing solar targets without fixing design flaws risks sidelining small farmers and worsening regional inequalities.
frontline.thehindu.com
December 23, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Indian govt is designing the 2nd phase of the flagship solar scheme for farmers called PM-KUSUM. Interviewed a young researcher who has conducted extensive groundwork on the 1st phase about what went right and where there is scope for lots of improvement
frontline.thehindu.com/environment/...
frontline.thehindu.com/environment/...
Reposted by Rishika Pardikar
The latest list of Australia’s planned resource and energy projects has revealed that as of 31 October 2025 there were 432 major resource and energy projects under development in Australia, up from 407 projects a year earlier.
Read the full piece on The Point: thepoint.com.au/news/251219-...
Read the full piece on The Point: thepoint.com.au/news/251219-...
December 19, 2025 at 4:42 AM
The latest list of Australia’s planned resource and energy projects has revealed that as of 31 October 2025 there were 432 major resource and energy projects under development in Australia, up from 407 projects a year earlier.
Read the full piece on The Point: thepoint.com.au/news/251219-...
Read the full piece on The Point: thepoint.com.au/news/251219-...
This is the reality we face. It is not physically possible to limit warming to 1.5°C. The required levels of emission cuts are impossibly steep
drilled.media/news/cop30-g...
drilled.media/news/cop30-g...
December 18, 2025 at 5:01 PM
This is the reality we face. It is not physically possible to limit warming to 1.5°C. The required levels of emission cuts are impossibly steep
drilled.media/news/cop30-g...
drilled.media/news/cop30-g...
This sentence makes it seem like the 30 year timeframe is the constraint. It is not. The constraint is the carbon budget. The carbon budget left for 1.5°C is less than five years of current annual emissions
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
December 18, 2025 at 4:43 PM
This sentence makes it seem like the 30 year timeframe is the constraint. It is not. The constraint is the carbon budget. The carbon budget left for 1.5°C is less than five years of current annual emissions
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Rishika Pardikar
"When future emissions commitments are considered alongside historical emissions, global net climate change impacts increase from US$43.7 trillion to US$49.0 trillion, with the USA and the EU remaining the largest contributors."
Link to paper: assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-394...
Link to paper: assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-394...
assets-eu.researchsquare.com
December 16, 2025 at 10:59 AM
"When future emissions commitments are considered alongside historical emissions, global net climate change impacts increase from US$43.7 trillion to US$49.0 trillion, with the USA and the EU remaining the largest contributors."
Link to paper: assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-394...
Link to paper: assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-394...
Reposted by Rishika Pardikar
A report finds 65 of 67 PNG land-conversion permits are controlled by Malaysian-linked firms, covering 1.68 million hectares of rainforest — mostly undisturbed.
Critics say permits meant for development have enabled large-scale logging, despite a 2023 moratorium.
Critics say permits meant for development have enabled large-scale logging, despite a 2023 moratorium.
Malaysian companies dominate PNG forest-clearance permits: report
Papua New Guinea’s rainforests, which span 28.2 million hectares (69.6 million acres), are among the most biodiverse in the world, hosting an estimated 5-8% of all species. The country also has one…
news.mongabay.com
December 16, 2025 at 3:20 AM
A report finds 65 of 67 PNG land-conversion permits are controlled by Malaysian-linked firms, covering 1.68 million hectares of rainforest — mostly undisturbed.
Critics say permits meant for development have enabled large-scale logging, despite a 2023 moratorium.
Critics say permits meant for development have enabled large-scale logging, despite a 2023 moratorium.
Reposted by Rishika Pardikar
We're thrilled to announce that Nina Lakhani will be joining Drilled as senior global climate justice reporter in January, based in Mexico City. We've long admired her incredible ability to tell the human stories of the climate crisis and can't wait to collaborate!
News: today is my last as climate justice reporter for @theguardian.com - a publication I've read for >30 years & worked for in different capacities/countries for 12+ years. I'm immensely proud of the work I've done, & so grateful to my colleagues, communities and sources along the way. Solidarity 🖤
December 15, 2025 at 3:38 PM
We're thrilled to announce that Nina Lakhani will be joining Drilled as senior global climate justice reporter in January, based in Mexico City. We've long admired her incredible ability to tell the human stories of the climate crisis and can't wait to collaborate!
It has been a year of a lot of travelling and learning. This from the latest (and first-ever) trip to Bangladesh. Finally catching up on the 2 year-old aim to understand India's neighbourhood better. I also spoke to some members of the Tibetan community for a report for the first time this year
December 15, 2025 at 11:25 AM
It has been a year of a lot of travelling and learning. This from the latest (and first-ever) trip to Bangladesh. Finally catching up on the 2 year-old aim to understand India's neighbourhood better. I also spoke to some members of the Tibetan community for a report for the first time this year
There is a climate justice assembly in Dhaka, Bangladesh between December 13-14. I will be speaking about media coverage in the plenary on 'Inclusion and Governance in the Transition Realities'. Check out the programme
www.climatejusticeassembly.org
www.climatejusticeassembly.org
C J A – 2025
www.climatejusticeassembly.org
December 10, 2025 at 2:19 AM
There is a climate justice assembly in Dhaka, Bangladesh between December 13-14. I will be speaking about media coverage in the plenary on 'Inclusion and Governance in the Transition Realities'. Check out the programme
www.climatejusticeassembly.org
www.climatejusticeassembly.org
Reposted by Rishika Pardikar
As UNEA meets in Nairobi, wars, protectionism and global divisions are straining cooperation on climate, biodiversity and pollution.
UNEA’s president says multilateral action remains essential, and UNEP’s chief argues diplomacy still works when nations choose compromise over paralysis.
UNEA’s president says multilateral action remains essential, and UNEP’s chief argues diplomacy still works when nations choose compromise over paralysis.
Global leaders seek action on environment, despite divide
The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), the world’s top decision-making body on the environment, opened its seventh session in Nairobi on Monday, aiming to take action on critical…
news.mongabay.com
December 10, 2025 at 2:10 AM
As UNEA meets in Nairobi, wars, protectionism and global divisions are straining cooperation on climate, biodiversity and pollution.
UNEA’s president says multilateral action remains essential, and UNEP’s chief argues diplomacy still works when nations choose compromise over paralysis.
UNEA’s president says multilateral action remains essential, and UNEP’s chief argues diplomacy still works when nations choose compromise over paralysis.
Reposted by Rishika Pardikar
EVs beat petrol cars on lifetime emissions — even on “dirty” grids.
Battery production is carbon-intensive, but EVs quickly repay that debt and end up 21–71% cleaner over 250,000 km.
We can’t wait for perfect grids: electrify transport and clean the grid now.
Battery production is carbon-intensive, but EVs quickly repay that debt and end up 21–71% cleaner over 250,000 km.
We can’t wait for perfect grids: electrify transport and clean the grid now.
December 8, 2025 at 9:00 PM
EVs beat petrol cars on lifetime emissions — even on “dirty” grids.
Battery production is carbon-intensive, but EVs quickly repay that debt and end up 21–71% cleaner over 250,000 km.
We can’t wait for perfect grids: electrify transport and clean the grid now.
Battery production is carbon-intensive, but EVs quickly repay that debt and end up 21–71% cleaner over 250,000 km.
We can’t wait for perfect grids: electrify transport and clean the grid now.
Cox's Bazar is a tuk-tuk town.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
December 10, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Cox's Bazar is a tuk-tuk town.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
"Across India, 118 million adult women in 12 states now receive unconditional cash transfers from their governments, making India the site of one of the world's largest and least-studied social-policy experiments."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
India cash transfers for women: Paying for unpaid household work
Some 118 million women in 12 Indian states receive unconditional cash transfers, one of the world’s largest experiments.
www.bbc.com
December 10, 2025 at 12:47 AM
"Across India, 118 million adult women in 12 states now receive unconditional cash transfers from their governments, making India the site of one of the world's largest and least-studied social-policy experiments."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
"Europe vowed to reject any COP deal without a plan to phase out dirty fuels, a totally disingenuous move coming from a bloc that continues to flagrantly trade and consume dirty energy, and whose own plan to cut emissions can, at best, be described as awkwardly inconsistent with a 1.5°C pathway."
Why COP30 was a class act in telling lies
In this piece, Mohamed Adow analyses how the ‘‘COP of Truth’’ ended up being the COP of fibs.
Read more: https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/opinion/article/2001535762/cop30-of-truth-how-summit-pulled-the-wool-over-our-eyes
In this piece, Mohamed Adow analyses how the ‘‘COP of Truth’’ ended up being the COP of fibs.
Read more: https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/opinion/article/2001535762/cop30-of-truth-how-summit-pulled-the-wool-over-our-eyes
December 6, 2025 at 6:56 AM
"Europe vowed to reject any COP deal without a plan to phase out dirty fuels, a totally disingenuous move coming from a bloc that continues to flagrantly trade and consume dirty energy, and whose own plan to cut emissions can, at best, be described as awkwardly inconsistent with a 1.5°C pathway."
Reposted by Rishika Pardikar
Enjoyed this conversation with Michael Walker @novaramedia.com on what the recent Nobel prizes in economics miss out about dynamics of development and what a decolonized lens helps mend that.
@soaseconomics.bsky.social @soasdevelopment.bsky.social
youtu.be/II7U4UlGaIA?...
@soaseconomics.bsky.social @soasdevelopment.bsky.social
youtu.be/II7U4UlGaIA?...
The Case For Decolonizing Economics
YouTube video by Novara Media
youtu.be
December 4, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Enjoyed this conversation with Michael Walker @novaramedia.com on what the recent Nobel prizes in economics miss out about dynamics of development and what a decolonized lens helps mend that.
@soaseconomics.bsky.social @soasdevelopment.bsky.social
youtu.be/II7U4UlGaIA?...
@soaseconomics.bsky.social @soasdevelopment.bsky.social
youtu.be/II7U4UlGaIA?...
Reposted by Rishika Pardikar
India and China make trade a climate issue as EU carbon levy looms
https://asia.nikkei.com/economy/trade/india-and-china-make-trade-a-climate-issue-as-eu-carbon-levy-looms
https://asia.nikkei.com/economy/trade/india-and-china-make-trade-a-climate-issue-as-eu-carbon-levy-looms
India and China make trade a climate issue as EU carbon levy looms
Countries push back against CBAM over steel and trade barrier concerns
asia.nikkei.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:07 AM
India and China make trade a climate issue as EU carbon levy looms
https://asia.nikkei.com/economy/trade/india-and-china-make-trade-a-climate-issue-as-eu-carbon-levy-looms
https://asia.nikkei.com/economy/trade/india-and-china-make-trade-a-climate-issue-as-eu-carbon-levy-looms
Cool paper documenting ecological insights about Indian tropical savannas in traditional literature between the 13th and 20th century. Grassland-scrubland biomes are often misconceived as deforested and/ or degraded wastelands. So, important paper.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Utilizing traditional literature to triangulate the ecological history of a tropical savanna
Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Cool paper documenting ecological insights about Indian tropical savannas in traditional literature between the 13th and 20th century. Grassland-scrubland biomes are often misconceived as deforested and/ or degraded wastelands. So, important paper.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Rishika Pardikar
The authors of a highly publicized study predicting climate change would cost $38 trillion a year by 2049 have retracted their paper following criticism of the data and methodology, including that the estimate is inflated.
Authors retract Nature paper projecting high costs of climate change
The authors of a highly publicized study predicting climate change would cost $38 trillion a year by 2049 have retracted their paper following criticism of the data and methodology, including that …
retractionwatch.com
December 3, 2025 at 10:28 AM
The authors of a highly publicized study predicting climate change would cost $38 trillion a year by 2049 have retracted their paper following criticism of the data and methodology, including that the estimate is inflated.
Reposted by Rishika Pardikar
COP30 produced several notable outcomes.
Mohamed Adow, Executive Director of Power Shift Africa, added his reflections on the outcomes, noting that “Roadmaps and workplans will mean nothing unless they translate into real finance and real action.”
More: bit.ly/3XnBfB7
Mohamed Adow, Executive Director of Power Shift Africa, added his reflections on the outcomes, noting that “Roadmaps and workplans will mean nothing unless they translate into real finance and real action.”
More: bit.ly/3XnBfB7
December 1, 2025 at 8:15 AM
COP30 produced several notable outcomes.
Mohamed Adow, Executive Director of Power Shift Africa, added his reflections on the outcomes, noting that “Roadmaps and workplans will mean nothing unless they translate into real finance and real action.”
More: bit.ly/3XnBfB7
Mohamed Adow, Executive Director of Power Shift Africa, added his reflections on the outcomes, noting that “Roadmaps and workplans will mean nothing unless they translate into real finance and real action.”
More: bit.ly/3XnBfB7
A long interview about many things: developing country demands for various kinds of finance (Bridgetown) and rich country reluctance to meet them, public vs private finance, low-productivity coal in India, unsustainable consumption and Brundtland commission etc frontline.thehindu.com/environment/...
Climate Change has Erased the Real Question of Unsustainable Consumption: Rathin Roy
Rich countries’ push for a phaseout roadmap without equity, clarity or finance collided with developing nations’ realities, and economist Rathin Roy argues that the deeper crisis lies in distorted ris...
frontline.thehindu.com
December 3, 2025 at 2:24 AM
A long interview about many things: developing country demands for various kinds of finance (Bridgetown) and rich country reluctance to meet them, public vs private finance, low-productivity coal in India, unsustainable consumption and Brundtland commission etc frontline.thehindu.com/environment/...
Interview with an Indian economist about why climate negotiations on finance continue to stall, low-productivity coal and clean energy manufacturing in India, unsustainable consumption and the Brundtland Commission and a lot more.
frontline.thehindu.com/environment/...
frontline.thehindu.com/environment/...
December 2, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Interview with an Indian economist about why climate negotiations on finance continue to stall, low-productivity coal and clean energy manufacturing in India, unsustainable consumption and the Brundtland Commission and a lot more.
frontline.thehindu.com/environment/...
frontline.thehindu.com/environment/...
Reposted by Rishika Pardikar
OR - countries pushed for it anyway, knowing it was a dead letter. Then the question is - why?
Distract from not providing sufficient finance?
Perform sustainability, even when many countries are not enacting it?
Distract from not providing sufficient finance?
Perform sustainability, even when many countries are not enacting it?
November 30, 2025 at 2:37 PM
OR - countries pushed for it anyway, knowing it was a dead letter. Then the question is - why?
Distract from not providing sufficient finance?
Perform sustainability, even when many countries are not enacting it?
Distract from not providing sufficient finance?
Perform sustainability, even when many countries are not enacting it?
Reposted by Rishika Pardikar
Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have been inundated with cyclone-driven rain for a week, killing about 400 people.
Indonesia death toll rises to 248 after catastrophic flooding in Sumatra
Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have been inundated with cyclone-driven rain for a week, killing about 400 people.
bit.ly
November 29, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have been inundated with cyclone-driven rain for a week, killing about 400 people.