Context:
• The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report highlights worsening environmental conditions in India, including extreme weather events, pollution, and human-animal conflict.
Key Highlights:
- Extreme Weather Events
• Occurred on 99% of days in 2025
• Caused:
- 4,419 deaths
- Impact on 17.41 million hectares of crops
• Worst affected states: - Himachal Pradesh
- Kerala
- Madhya Pradesh
- Human-Animal Conflict
• 43 deaths due to tiger attacks (Jan–June 2025)
• Around 60 million people affected across 20 states - Air Pollution
• Only 15% population within 10 km of air quality monitors
• 1.2 billion people lack monitoring access - Environmental Concerns
• Increased frequency of climate-induced disasters
• Habitat encroachment leading to wildlife conflicts - Nature-Based Solutions
• Restoration of:
- Wetlands
- River systems
- Groundwater recharge
Relevant Prelims Points:
• Extreme Weather Events:
- Includes floods, droughts, cyclones, heatwaves
• Nature-Based Solutions (NbS): - Ecosystem-based approaches to mitigate climate risks
• Air Quality Monitoring: - Measurement of pollutants like PM2.5, PM10, NOx
Relevant Mains Points:
- Climate Change Impact
- Increased frequency and intensity of extreme events
- Direct impact on agriculture and livelihoods
- Disaster Management Issues
- Reactive approach vs need for preventive resilience
- Weak early warning and infrastructure gaps
- Human-Wildlife Conflict
- Result of habitat fragmentation and urban expansion
- Threat to both biodiversity and human safety
- Environmental Inequality
- Lack of air quality data in smaller towns creates policy blind spots
- Disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations
- Policy Gaps
- Weak enforcement of environmental regulations
- Inadequate urban planning and ecological conservation
- Way Forward
- Shift to climate-resilient infrastructure
- Expand air quality monitoring networks
- Strengthen wildlife corridors and habitat protection
- Promote nature-based solutions
- Integrate climate adaptation into development planning
UPSC Relevance:
• GS 3: Environment, disaster management, climate change
• GS 1: Geography (climate patterns, human-environment interaction)