A recent United Nations report sheds light on the deteriorating state of the world's rangelands, indicating that up to 50% of these crucial ecosystems are degraded, a figure nearly double previous estimates. Released on May 21, 2024, the report challenges past assessments, emphasizing the significant underestimation of rangeland degradation. Rangelands, covering over half of the terrestrial surface, play a critical role in global food production and carbon storage. However, factors such as land use changes, population growth, and policy incentives favoring overexploitation are driving their decline. Marginalized pastoralist communities are disproportionately affected, lacking influence in decision-making processes. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the UN has declared 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, aiming to raise awareness and advocate for sustainable pastoralism. In India, efforts are underway to conduct the first census of pastoralists, highlighting a growing recognition of the importance of addressing rangeland degradation on a national scale.

In a significant discovery, scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have unearthed two new plant species from the verdant Western Ghats region. These newfound species, belonging to the genera Musseanda and Rungia, add to the rich biodiversity of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its exceptional flora and fauna.