The Big Story
By M Rajshekhar | 2 Mar. 2026
By Hridayesh Joshi | 16 Feb. 2026
By Shaswata Kundu Chaudhuri | 3 Feb. 2026
Latest Stories
Fixing municipal capacity and capital for cleaner cities
Following the Supreme Court of India’s recent direction to states and urban local bodies to tighten compliance with solid waste management rules, and the Union Budget’s push for urban infrastructure financing and municipal bond incentives, the fundamentals of city governance and capacity needs renewed attention. India will need nearly USD 840 billion in urban infrastructure investment over the next 15 years. Yet Indian cities raise less than 0.6 per cent of GDP in own-source revenues, compared to 2-4 per cent mobilised by cities in developed OECD countries. The mismatch between ambition and capacity may now be too large to ignore.
China’s 5-Year Plan Focuses on Carbon Intensity and RE, Avoids Emissions Cap
China in its 15th five-year plan signalled a push towards carbon-intensity reduction and renewable energy, however, it stopped short from setting up a cap on its total emissions.
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Average Global Sea Levels Much Higher Than Assumed in Coastal Assessments: Report
A new report by Nature revealed that global sea levels are about 30 cm higher than the estimates in 99% of the global coast hazard assessments. The research conducted by Katharina Seeger, PhD researcher and Dr. Philip S. J. Minderhoud, Associate Professor at Wageningen University in the Netherlands stated that this underestimation happened because the assessment failed to correctly evaluate actual sea level measurements.
Near 100% electrification of Indian Railways strengthens domestic energy security amidst West Asia conflict
As conflict intensifies between Iran, Israel, and the US, India finds itself in a fix. With nearly 90% of its crude oil imported, India’s vulnerability to disruptions in West Asia has reached a critical tipping point.
Oil, gas projects take 15 years to take off now: Report
Global oil and gas prices continue to rise as the war between US-Israel and Iran continues. With energy exports from West Asia on pause, and oil ships and energy facilities being attacked, production and transportation of oil and gas has stopped across the Gulf.
India’s EV sector attracted ₹2.23 lakh crore investment in 5 years, but huge financing gap remains: Report
India’s EV trajectory is growing rapidly. It is being supported by a significant surge in capital, attracting approximately ₹2.23 lakh crore in realized investments between 2020 and 2025. However, a new report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) warns that this is only 18% of the ₹12.5 lakh crore required to meet India’s 2030 electrification targets.
Lack of data on urban heat makes it difficult for Indian businesses to adapt: Experts
As the winter gives way to spring, parts of India, especially urban areas, are already facing spikes in day time temperatures. Extreme urban heat is now a major problem across the subcontinent, and it is now affecting economic sectors as well.
