Edition Overview

Down to Earth’s February 2026 issues carry the cover story “PLEA” in the first fortnight (1-15), focusing on the global water bankruptcy crisis. The two editions together cover megadroughts and water bankruptcy, SAF transition and UCO feedstock crisis, India’s AI awakening, Forest Law amendment vs paper industry, African Swine Fever, Aravallis ecology, EU-Mercosur/India-EU/India-US trade geopolitics, the 16th Finance Commission’s ecological federalism, Union Budget 2026-27, speed breeding, India’s dairy model, caste-climate nexus, pharma innovation dilemma, deepfakes and AI governance, SC ruling on menstrual health, blackbuck conservation, sal heartwood borer, Rubaya coltan mine, and plastics-health linkage.

Key Terms

  • SAF — Sustainable Aviation Fuel (IOC, Panipat; 1% mandate by 2027; IATA: 65% of aviation emission cuts)
  • RUCO — Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (FSSAI initiative, 2018; max 3 reuses)
  • HEFA — Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (SAF pathway using UCO/fats)
  • Fischer-Tropsch — SAF pathway using agricultural residues
  • ASF — African Swine Fever (pigs/wild suids only; no vaccine; Serchhip, Mizoram outbreak)
  • BSL-4 — Biosafety Level 4 (required for Nipah virus isolation)
  • ETS — Emissions Trading System (cap-and-trade; 1 allowance = 1 tonne CO₂)
  • BBNJ — Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty (in force 2026)
  • IndiaAI Mission — $1.25 billion AI infrastructure programme (MeitY, 2024)
  • 16th FC — 16th Finance Commission (2026-31; 41% devolution; ₹2,04,401 cr disaster allocation)
  • Van Adhiniyam, 1980 — Forest Conservation Act; recent amendment allows paper industry access to forestland
  • CBAM — Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (EU; $2-4 billion burden on Indian steel/cement)
  • Section 3(d) — Indian Patents Act provision preventing evergreening (Venetoclax rejection)
  • Speed Breeding — 22hr LED light, 4-5 generations/year; SKUAST rice cycle: 60 days
  • GANs — Generative Adversarial Networks (deepfake architecture)
  • Agentic AI — Autonomous AI with limited human intervention
  • Coltan — Columbite-tantalite; refined to tantalum; DRC supplies 15% globally
  • DALYs — Disability-Adjusted Life Years (plastics: 2.1M in 2016, 4.5M projected by 2040)

Sources: NextIAS DTE Feb 1-15 Summary, NextIAS DTE Feb 16-28 Summary