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Cse In News

Centre’s 2-Way Approach To Tackle Lightning, Urban Flooding

According to a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment, at least 162 people were killed by lightning strikes across 12 Indian states between March and April 2025, which is a staggering 184 per cent rise compared with 57 fatalities recorded last year between March and April. Admitting that lightning strikes, heatwaves and urban flooding are major cause of concern for India, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has adopted a two-way approach to counter such natural calamities. According to Sanjeev Kumar Jindal, additional secretary (disaster management) in the Home Ministry, the NDMA has identified more than 50 sensitive districts in 10 states which are prone to lightning strikes and heat waves and accordingly a national programme has been initiated to mitigate the impact of such natural calamities. The states, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, severely suffer due to high frequency of lightning, said Jindal. The national programme to mitigate the impact of natural calamities focuses on awareness campaigns, community-based initiatives and infrastructure improvements to reduce casualties and economic losses. “The government has sanctioned a mitigation project on lightning safety at a total outlay of Rs 186.78 crore,” said Jindal. The programme will be implemented through the NDMA and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs). The Centre has also asked the state government to ensure that all emergency operation centres (EOC) are active at the district level. The state authorities have been suggested to continuously monitor the India Disaster Resource Network (IDRC) portal. As per data provided by NDMA, more than 2,500 people die due to thunderstorms and lightning every year in India. According to a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment, at least 162 people were killed by lightning strikes across 12 Indian states between March and April 2025, which is a staggering 184 per cent rise compared with 57 fatalities recorded last year between March and April. Bihar is the worst-affected state, recording 99 lightning deaths between March and mid-April 2025, according to the state’s disaster management authorities. Multiple recent studies based on short-term data indicate that Kerala is also one of the hotspots for lightning strikes, which peaks from March to May with a secondary peak from September to November. However, as per data provided by the Ministry of Earth Science, there is significant inter-annual variability of convective activity over Kerala and other parts of the Indian region, which is driven by the multi-year variability of various global factors. Statistics compiled by the Ministry of Earth Science state, 730 people died due to heatwaves in India in 2022 with Punjab and Uttar Pradesh registering the maximum deaths of 130 each followed by Maharashtra 90. Similarly, the NDMA has also initiated a plan to implement urban flood risk mitigation projects in 11 more cities, involving a mix of structural and non-structural measures. “This is in addition to the Rs 3075.65 crore sanctioned under Urban Flood Risk Mitigation Projects for seven cities including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune,” said Jindal. Jindal said that the Central Government has taken several initiatives to ensure effective mitigation measures in the country to prevent any extensive loss of life and property during disasters by strengthening the disaster risk reduction system in India. These projects aim to address the increasing threat of urban flooding, exacerbated by climate change and rapid urbanisation, by improving drainage, increasing water storage capacity and implementing better urban planning and regulations. The northeastern states including Assam and Arunachal Pradesh registered the maximum casualties due to urban flooding this year following the death of at least 46 people. Significantly, the government has also started implementing National GLOF Risk Management Programme with a total financial outlay of Rs 150 crore for its implementation in four states namely Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Uttarakhand. Talking to ETV Bharat, former member of NDMA Brigadier BK Khanna hailed the initiative adopted by the Centre. “The initiatives are most welcome. However, proper implementation of such initiatives need massive awareness drive,” said Brigadier Khanna, As far as urban flooding is concerned, according to Brigadier Khanna, along with an awareness drive, advance alert is also very much necessary. “Urban flooding is mainly caused by excess rain and poor drainage systems. Public participation to fight urban flooding is necessary. People should extend their support to the authorities to maintain a proper drainage system,” said Brigadier Khanna.

Study Finds Alarming Microplastic Pollution Near Taj Mahal Stretch Of Yamuna

A recent study conducted by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), an environmental research body, has found that a 12-kilometre stretch of the Yamuna riverbed near the Taj Mahal contains the highest levels of toxic microplastic pollution among four sampled locations along the river. The research, which began in 2024, collected data from surface water and sediment at four sites: Poiya Ghat, Parvathi Ghat, Hathi Ghat, and the stretch near the Taj Mahal. The sediment sample from the Taj Mahal site showed a concentration of 800 microplastic particles (mps) per kilogram — the highest among the sites studied. The other sites showed significantly lower levels, ranging from 480mps to 600mps. The report, which was cited during a meeting at the Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute — an education and training initiative of the CSE — at Nimli in Rajasthan. The findings point to runoff from laundry activities, discarded fabric fragments, plastic packaging, and tyre degradation as primary sources of contamination. Textile fibres alone accounted for 57% of the microplastics detected in sediment, followed by fragments from packaging materials (36%). The most common colour observed was black — often linked to tyre particles — making up 27% of the samples, followed by yellow at 21%. In terms of surface water pollution, the Taj Mahal stretch recorded the second-highest concentration at 17mps per cubic metre. Hathi Ghat showed the highest contamination in water, at 46mps, attributed to nearby large-scale cloth-washing activities and wastewater discharge from surrounding drains. The study, has been shared with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Although India currently lacks legal thresholds for microplastic concentration, researchers noted that the levels observed in the Yamuna — particularly near the Taj Mahal — were significantly higher than in other stretches of the river or even in the Ganga, where a separate study found 428mps per kilogram in sediment samples from Bengal. Experts warn of serious health implications. Microplastics, which range from 1 nanometre to 5 millimetres in size, can enter the human body through water or food and are capable of infiltrating organs, crossing the placenta and blood-brain barrier. Once inside the body, they may cause inflammation, vascular issues, and carry toxic chemicals or pathogens into the system. The UNDP in its report suggests that these compounds are linked to serious health issues such as endocrine disruption, weight gain, insulin resistance, decreased reproductive health, and cancer. Given the reliance on the Yamuna for drinking water and fishing in the region, the findings have raised concerns about public health and ecological safety. Further assessments of microplastic levels in other rivers are expected in the near future.

Alarm over microplastic level in Yamuna near Taj Mahal, study flags severe pollution

A 12km stretch of the Yamuna riverbed near the Taj Mahal has the highest concentration of highly toxic microplastics compared to the other three segments sampled in a study conducted by environmental think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The study has identified runoff water from washed clothes, small pieces of fabric, plastic packaging materials and tyres as major sources of microplastic pollution. Microplastics are smaller plastic particles ranging between 1 nanometre, which is at least 80,000 times thinner than a hair follicle, and 5mm. They have the potential to trigger a range of health issues with long-term exposure and cause significant ecological hazards. The report, which was cited during a meeting at the Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute — an education and training initiative of the CSE — at Nimli in Rajasthan on Thursday, has also been shared with the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change, a key researcher associated with the study said. “Our study, which has been ongoing since 2024, was undertaken at four points in the Yamuna — Poiya Ghat, Parvathi Ghat, Hathi Ghat and the Taj Mahal — both at surface water level and sediments. We found that microplastic concentration was highest in the river bed close to the Taj Mahal — 800 microplastics (mps) per kilogram of sediment,” said Siddharth Singh, the deputy programme manager of the municipal solid waste unit at the CSE. Singh said that though there was no legally permissible limit on microplastics in the country, its concentration in the Yamuna near the Taj Mahal was significantly high compared with other stretches of the river and other major rivers of the country. The study shows that microplastic concentrations at the other three points in the Yamuna were much less, ranging between 480mps at Poiya Ghat and 600mps at Balkeshwar Ghat. According to the study, textile fibres were the major source of microplastics (at 57 per cent) in the sediments, followed by fragments from plastic packaging (36 per cent). In terms of colour of microplastics, black, mainly sourced from tyres, dominates at 27 per cent followed by yellow at 21 per cent. As far as surface water microplastic pollution is concerned, the stretch of the Yamuna near the Taj Mahal has the second-highest concentration of the pollutants — 17mps per cubic metre of water— among the four sites studied. The pollution was highest at Hathi Ghat with 46mps because of its proximity to large-scale cloth-washing points and major nullahs draining wastewater into the river. “It’s a problem everywhere. Though the state pollution control board has not carried out any study so far, the report of another study shows that the microplastic concentration in the sediments in the Ganga in Bengal is 428mps per kilogram. We are planning to assess the microplastic level soon in various rivers,” said Kalyan Rudra, chairman of the pollution control board in Bengal and a river expert. “The public health implications of the findings are huge. Besides having a direct impact, microplastics act as a vehicle for toxic chemicals and even pathogens to enter our system. The findings near the Taj Mahal assume enormous importance also from the standpoint of drinking water supplies from the Yamuna and the fishing being done in the region,” Arunabha Majumdar, a retired director of the All India Institute of Hygiene & Public Health, said. According to experts, microplastics can infiltrate organs and cross the blood-brain barrier and placenta, leading to inflammation and vascular blockages, among other health complications.

Bonn: Breakthrough as just transition priorities tabled in UN climate process

Avantika Goswami, Programme Manager, Climate Change, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), India: “We do not see appetite to uphold multilateralism from developed countries, and Bonn made that clear. The refusal to dive deeper into Article 9.1 and hear out concerns from developing countries about unilateral trade measures, symbolise the imbalance of power that persists in this space. While civil society is driving momentum on issues like just transition, all other spaces remain paralysed by inequity, and refusal of the Global North to support, fund and enable climate action in the rest of the world in line with its historical duty.” German State Secretary for Climate, Jochen Flasbarth, described the Bonn climate conference, a mid-year meeting of stakeholders, as an “important reality check.” Efforts to limit global warming must now be reflected in concrete new climate plans from around 200 countries, Flasbarth told dpa. “This is because in 2025, all countries will be required to submit these plans and outline how they will further reduce their climate-damaging emissions in line with the 1.5-degree limit by 2035,” he said. Some countries have already presented their strategies, while the EU and many others are still working on theirs, said Flasbarth. However, after two tense weeks of negotiations, breakthrough appears to have emerged in the SB62 climate talks in Bonn: civil society’s Just Transition priorities were officially tabled in the UN climate process, thanks to relentless pressure from social movements, workers, and frontline communities. According to observers, this vital step opens the door in the fight for transitions that put people first – ensuring climate action centres justice, dignity, and decent work, rather than enabling corporate greenwashing or elite control. But, beyond this opening, Bonn reportedly laid bare a system in crisis. Even as NATO leaders just 200km away pledged more than US$1 trillion a year in additional military spending, rich polluting countries showed up at the climate talks pleading poverty. The silence on war, genocide, and rising global inequality was deafening. Despite the escalating toll of climate impacts and injustice, the talks revealed a growing chasm between the urgent demands of communities on the frontlines of climate breakdown and the hollow, evasive language of a process struggling to retain relevance. Negotiations on adaptation were little more than a smokescreen. Developed nations dodged their financial obligations towards developing countries once again, and held the process hostage, preventing progress. The ghost of Baku seemed to haunt the talks, with developing countries facing fierce pushback when they united in their demand for a formal agenda item on the provision of climate finance by developed countries. “And it’s clear the so-called ‘Baku to Belém’ roadmap remains riddled with holes. Without new, additional and grant-based public finance from historical emitters, there will be no money to fund a real Just Transition, no closing of the ambition gap, and no hope of holding the line at 1.5°C. The COP30 Presidency and all parties must put a plan in place to address the critical issue of the provision of climate finance, or risk a blow up,” environment watchdog group, Climate Action Network International, submitted in a statement. As countries belatedly prepare their new climate action plans (Nationally Determined Contributions), one thing is clear: they will fall far short of what is needed. Despite this, there was a resounding silence around the ambition gap that is so clearly emerging. Countries that hold historic responsibility for the climate crisis continue to expand oil and gas exploration while pushing developing countries to shoulder the burden they themselves refuse to bear – both in cutting emissions and providing climate finance. It’s a double standard that deepens injustice and delays real action. Tasneem Essop, Executive Director of Climate Action Network International, said: “Enough is enough. While bombs get billions and polluters are increasing their record profits, Bonn has once again exposed a system rigged to protect polluters and profiteers – complicit in a global order that funds destruction but balks at paying for survival. “But even in this broken space, people’s power shone through. Due to the relentless pressure from civil society, the Just Transition fight finally made it into the formal process, laying the table for a win for workers, for communities, and for every person fighting to build a future rooted in dignity and hope. Decision-makers must come to Belém with the commitment to make this a reality. “As this process drifts further from the real world, it is grassroots movements that continue to lead the way – resisting delay, greenwashing, and false solutions with vision, urgency, and courage. From the streets of Bonn to the heart of Belém, the fight for climate justice is turning into a roar that cannot be ignored.” Caroline Brouillette, Executive Director, Climate Action Network Canada: “The world is facing a treacherous moment. Political headwinds and unfair economic rules are preventing the level of climate action we need. The UNFCCC feels increasingly disconnected from the real world. “Amidst the dark clouds of these existential challenges to the planet and to this process, there is a ray of sunshine: parties are finding common ground around a Just Transition. The text forwarded to Belem offers us a fighting chance to a COP30 outcome that truly connects workers, communities and Peoples with the Paris Agreement.” Amiera Sawas, Head of Research & Policy, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative: “As the Northern hemisphere suffers deadly heatwaves, UN climate talks remain frozen in an out-of-touch process. War and military spending escalated outside, while inside there was no discussion – and no finance. Civil society fought to bring negotiations into the real world, but geopolitics and the fossil fuel lobby kept derailing progress. Even successes, like the draft text for the ‘Just Transition Work Programme’ informed by workers and Indigenous Peoples, were nearly paralysed by fossil fuel interests at the end. “We are already at risk of breaching the 1.5 temperature limit, there’s no time for paralysis. There’s a real risk that the UN climate talks fail to address the crisis’s biggest drivers: coal, oil, and gas. We cannot afford any more failure; we must urgently do better. And we will – whether inside or outside the UN. Brazil is talking big, but its actions speak louder than words and its recent approval of new oil extraction in the Amazon is the worst possible signal.” Stela Herschmann, Climate Policy Specialist for Observatório do Clima (Brazil): “This is a party-driven process. What the Bonn meeting showed us is that the parties want to discuss public finance. Despite Brazil’s best intentions to streamline the agenda and make progress on other issues, it may not be possible to do so without including a conversation about public finance in the official COP30 agenda. “Brazil had three priorities for Bonn. One of them, Just Transition, saw good progress and produced a preparatory text with key asks from civil society organisations so this work programme can actually deliver justice to the people. The other two resemble Baku. The text on indicators for the global goal of adaptation advanced well but is being held until the last minute due to the discussion around finance and means of implementation. “The UAE dialogue on the implementation of the Global Stocktake, did not progress as much. We will leave Bonn with two similar documents because the parties could not agree on a single informal note, and we can expect to see the same disputes over the scope and modalities in Belém.” Mariana Paoli, Global Advocacy Lead, Christian Aid: “The Bonn climate talks have shown that there’s hangover from the chaotic ending at COP29 in Baku. Finance remains the elephant in the room. While negotiators circled around the issue in Boon, limited progress was made. We cannot afford another year of delay – COP30 must deliver where COP29 fell short. “There has been an over reliance on the illusion that private finance will solve the climate crisis. Its growing presence in these spaces is starting to resemble a Trojan horse. Public grants-based finance is essential to deliver climate action, decisions should be done based on the needs of communities and not profits and should be rooted in fairness and science.” Teresa Anderson, ActionAid International: “Rich countries’ continued refusal to put real climate finance on the table means that climate talks are facing uncertain times. For once, however, it’s not all bad news. Governments are starting to get excited about Just Transition, and shaping energy and food systems in a way that really works for workers, women, farmers and communities. “This comes at such a critical time, amid so much economic uncertainty, when many people feel they are being forced to choose between their immediate needs and a climate safe future. If approved at COP30, the Just Transition mechanism will deliver action on the ground, requiring and supporting governments to put people’s needs first and foremost at the start of every climate plan. This represents a major evolution in climate action, and the spark of hope that our planet urgently needs.” Nithi Nesadurai, Director & Regional Coordinator, CAN Southeast Asia: “The Bonn climate meeting took place within the backdrop of a continuing genocide in Gaza, a hot war and the NATO Summit. Interestingly, while developed countries blocked decisions on their financial obligations on all the major climate negotiating items, a short distance away in The Hague, NATO members readily agreed to increase their military budgets to 5 per cent of GDP. “Easily amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars, it shows finance is available, unlike what they implied in the Bonn negotiations. If not for the progress on the Just Transition Work Programme, which gives civil society a core issue to rally around on the road to Belem, this meeting offered little to get excited about on all other fronts. Nafkote Dabi, Climate Policy Lead, Oxfam International: “The Bonn conference exposes the stark injustice between rich and poor countries. The richest, primarily responsible for the climate crisis, are dodging their duty to provide public, grant-based finance for developing countries to adapt and rebuild. As warming spirals toward a catastrophic 3°C, urgent action is critical. Rich countries must own their climate debt and stop pushing private finance, that prioritises profit over people, as a solution. The Brazilian COP presidency must also step up and champion equity and justice in Belem.” Sanjay Vashist, Director, Climate Action Network South Asia: “Climate talks in Bonn have failed South Asia once again. While our communities face climate-induced floods, heatwaves, and hunger, wealthy nations dodge their obligations, offering empty words on adaptation and loss and damage finance. The refusal to put public finance on the table is a betrayal. As we pivot to COP30 in Belém, we demand not just promises, but delivery – real, predictable, and equitable finance. The era of evasion must end. The lives of millions in South Asia depend on it, however the UNFCCC process appears to have succumbed to fossil fuel lobbyists and private sector forces.” Romain Ioualalen, Global Policy lead at Oil Change International: “Bonn saw the Global North further retreat from its responsibilities to provide public finance for climate action, instead promoting fabricated narratives on private finance filling the gap – despite evidence the market-led approach is not delivering. On top of blocking finance, rich countries failed their homework on fossil fuels with four Global North countries responsible for 70% of projected oil and gas expansion, which made calls from developed parties to center the fossil fuel phaseout in the negotiations continue to ring hollow and hypocritical. An outcome on just transition in Belém is within reach and could provide momentum for centering justice in the transition.” Ife Kilimanjaro, U.S. Climate Action Network: “Bonn confirmed the UNFCCC feels dangerously out of touch with global crises – war, inequality, and a climate already past 1.5 degrees. The fight for public climate finance was an uphill battle; rich nations diverted responsibility, pushing risky private solutions that won’t close the ambition gap. Yet, a vital glimmer of hope emerged: civil society secured demands in the Just Transition text. This shows organised people can make progress even in disconnected spaces. For USCAN, it’s clear: we must keep bridging the gap between power and lived realities, demanding genuine accountability and justice.” Fernanda de Carvalho, WWF Global Climate and Energy Policy Lead: “The breakthrough we achieved in Dubai is at stake. Developed countries who should be leading the way, continue to explore for, and use fossil fuels while deforestation is on the rise. We need them to step up at the global level and commit to phasing out all fossil fuels, putting some much-needed momentum into the international climate talks. We also need strong measures to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. We look to Belém as a political course-correction moment, and we count on the Brazilian Presidency and the political will of all countries to deliver that.” Avantika Goswami, Programme Manager, Climate Change, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), India: “We do not see appetite to uphold multilateralism from developed countries, and Bonn made that clear. The refusal to dive deeper into Article 9.1 and hear out concerns from developing countries about unilateral trade measures, symbolise the imbalance of power that persists in this space. While civil society is driving momentum on issues like just transition, all other spaces remain paralysed by inequity, and refusal of the Global North to support, fund and enable climate action in the rest of the world in line with its historical duty.” Ann Harrison, Climate Justice Policy Adviser, Amnesty International: “Human rights references and protections were again sacrificed at the altar of consensus which drives down ambition. UNFCCC reform must be on the table, including greater protections for free speech and peaceful protest which were further restricted, particularly for actions protesting the genocide in Gaza and solidarity actions for imprisoned defenders. “Fossil fuel producers continue to undermine progress towards the full, fast, fair and funded fossil fuel phase out and just transition we need. And let’s be clear, providing adequate public, grants-based climate finance, especially for adaptation and loss and damage is also a human rights obligation for developed countries, and it must be massively scaled up to contribute towards climate justice.” Andreas Sieber, 350.org Associate Director of Global Policy and Campaigns: “Bonn was bogged down by political divisions and bruised by global tensions, with results that leave much to be desired. A serious injection of energy and urgency is required as we look ahead to COP30 in Belém. Negotiators must make progress on implementing the Global Stocktake, closing the ambition gap, and delivering the finance needed to turn ambition into action. “Civil society must hold the line on the agreement to triple renewables and phase out fossil fuels, and rich countries must course correct after Baku’s shortcomings. COP30 has much to make up for, and for it to be a success, the Presidency must lead with the integrity, diplomacy and flexibility this crisis demands.” Gaïa Febvre, Réseau Action Climat France, International Policy Lead: “As the Bonn climate talks come to a close, it is shocking to see France, once the proud ‘guardian’ of the Paris Agreement, actively blocking a more ambitious EU NDC. “What’s the point of hosting summits and delivering grand speeches if, behind closed doors, France stalls the very commitments needed to keep 1.5°C alive? The Paris Agreement doesn’t need more ceremony, it needs leadership. It needs a France that pushes the EU to step up, not one that defends the status quo or fossil interests. The window to act is closing. France must choose: will it honor the legacy of Paris, or betray it?” More than 5,000 delegates took part in the negotiations in Bonn. The city is home to the UN Climate Change Secretariat, which coordinates international climate policy. The annual talks are seen as a critical step in shaping the global climate agenda ahead of the main event in the Brazilian city of Belém in November, known as COP30.

Seeds of resilience: Inside India’s quiet revolution of community seed banks

On the International Day for Biological Diversity in May 2025, the farmers, researchers, and civil-society groups joined an online discussion hosted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) to showcase India’s community seed banks. “While there is biodiversity all around us, what nourishes us is the biodiversity on our plates,” says Vibha Varshney, who heads the Biodiversity and Food programme at the CSE. She added, “These community seed banks hold the genetic wealth that can keep that plate full even when the climate turns hostile.” A counter narrative to agricultural uniformity CSE’s freshly released report, Climate-Resilient Seeds: The story of community seed banks in India, estimates that the country’s informal seed savers now steward at least 887 traditional varieties across seventy-one crop species, a figure compiled from twenty-two banks and two individual custodians in fifteen states. Karnataka alone accounts for 186 varieties, closely followed by Nagaland’s 156 and Odisha’s 152. “Diversity-based farming is not nostalgia; it is a real solution for a climate-risked world,” the report stresses. That insistence on diversity challenges a half-century of policy that privileged high-yielding, genetically narrow hybrids. CSE notes that sixty-five percent of India’s seed needs are still met by farmer-to-farmer exchange, yet these informal networks lack formal recognition even after the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act ostensibly protected farmers’ rights to save and share seed. How do the seed banks work? Most banks now operate as webs of ten or so households connected by what farmers call the “five-kilo-take, ten-kilo-return” ethic. After every harvest, seed borrowers bring back double the quantity they received, ensuring constant renewal. Others, especially in tribal belts, rely on pure gifting; a few women’s cooperatives in Gujarat and Maharashtra sell a fraction of surplus seed at a small premium so the bank can buy steel drums or moisture metres. “Improvement doesn’t come just from infrastructure,” explains Sahaja Samrudha founder G. Krishna Prasad, adding, “It’s about creating trust, and that begins with recognising seed savers as ‘custodians of biodiversity.” Prasad’s collective in Karnataka curates more than seventy finger-millet lines. Four or five that excel in participatory variety trials enter contract multiplication; the rest are grown in tiny rows simply so they do not disappear. “Those sixty-odd lines are genetic wealth. Even if nobody wants them today, they might save us tomorrow,” he says. In the northeastern hills, the Chizami Women’s Seed Bank holds over 150 local rice and vegetable varieties. Its governing rules give widows and marginal farmers first pick of seed—a crucial buffer in a landscape where markets are distant and landslides frequent. Similar women-led systems anchor banks in Odisha, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. “Women are the primary custodians of selection and storage knowledge, and their leadership increases community engagement,” the report finds. Mini rice seed bank (Image: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka) Mini rice seed bank (Image: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka) Climate traits written in grain Walk through the seed jars, and India’s climate atlas comes alive. Deep-water rice such as Rakthasali and Kuttadan ride out week-long submergence; finger-millet landraces like Bhadaee withstand forty-degree heat; paunchhi rice bends rather than breaks in cyclonic winds; and bottle gourds cured with turmeric sprout in soils laced with tidal salt. “These seeds let farmers bounce back after a flood, a drought, or a pest wave,” Varshney says. “They are the first insurance payout—paid in grain, not rupees.” The human stories behind statistics Vijay Jardhari, patriarch of Uttarakhand’s forty-year-old Beej Bachao Andolan, likes to hold up a wooden box he calls the bijunda—a farmer’s personal seed chest. “The bijunda is insurance against hunger, inflation, and climate shocks,” he told participants. “A mountain farmer would die but never eat the seed meant for the next sowing.” Down in Maharashtra’s Western Ghats, forest-regeneration activist Bharat Mansata reminds visitors that his Vanvadi collective now harvests food from eighty forest species. “The government must realise that this is genetic wealth,” he says. “Tragically, it is often available to large buyers before it is accessible to small farmers.” Headwinds: money, policy, and climate extremes Yet all custodians report similar hurdles. Banks depend on NGO grants or goodwill sales; few can afford cold rooms. Heatwaves waver germination rates; erratic rains shrink multiplication harvests. Younger cultivators, seduced by glossy catalogues and credit-linked hybrid packets, dismiss landraces as “old-fashioned,” CSE researcher Shimali Chauhan warns. On the policy front, draft seed legislation that tightens certification rules could inadvertently criminalise informal exchange—contradicting farmers’ rights enshrined elsewhere. “Regulation supports hybrid production but gives neither subsidy nor lab access to those who keep traditional lines alive,” Prasad argues. What would it take to scale up? CSE’s report calls for a five-point agenda. It urges formal recognition of seed savers as biodiversity custodians; public grants for low-energy storage and on-farm viability testing; inclusion of traditional seed lots in schemes such as the National Food Security Mission; consumer education that links taste with diversity; and an open-source digital atlas that matches farmers who need seed with banks that hold it. “It’s not just about building storage spaces; it’s about creating resilient, people-centred ecosystems where knowledge and local stewardship are valued,” the report concludes.

The Belligerent Disorder

It’s been a surreal few months; my (our) world is spinning like a top and seems completely out of control. Nothing seems to make sense anymore. It is a strange time, and I say this particularly for the half-a-century people like me who grew up in the post-colonial era and witnessed a world order that was intensely inequitable but still seemed capable of reform. Maybe it was the age of innocence. But we had hope in the global rule of law, even if it was led by powerful global players; we believed that voices of reason would prevail. The UN had a role—even though the Security Council, then and now, was a body which mirrored an inequitable and unfair global power order—but it still stood with the right, against the wrong. There was something to hold on to; something to believe in.

Spotlight on funding for just transition at Bonn Meetings

Developed countries do not want to discuss that,” said Rudrath Avinashi, Programme Officer, Centre for Science and Environment. Divergences on key issues continued at the ongoing Bonn Climate Meetings, which act as a midway point before the annual climate conference (COP30) scheduled to take place in Belem, Brazil this November, slowing down progress on important issues. Embers glow at night as the Basin Fire burns in the Sierra National Forest in Fresno County, California, on June 26, 2024. (AFP) Embers glow at night as the Basin Fire burns in the Sierra National Forest in Fresno County, California, on June 26, 2024. (AFP) Developed and developing countries sparred over the provision of finance for adaptation and Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP) in the past couple of days. The Bonn meetings will close on June 26. HT reported on June 19 that India and several developing countries have expressed disappointment after a key climate finance discussion was excluded from the Bonn Climate Talks agenda, vowing to raise the issue at November’s COP30 summit in Brazil. The dispute centred on Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement, which mandates that developed countries provide financial resources to assist developing nations with both mitigation and adaptation efforts including for energy transition. The exclusion of this discussion from the agenda led to a 30-hour delay before talks could begin. Consultations were taken up on article 9.1 again on Monday, in the context of Just Transition Work Programme. “Possibly the most heated segment of the day was the consultations by the Subsidiary Bodies’ Chairs with parties on the implementation of Paris Agreement Article 9.1 (developed countries’ provision of climate finance). Developing countries underscored the inadequacy of current levels of finance, lamenting mounting costs related to loss and damage and the debt burden caused by non-concessional loans,” reported the Earth Negotiations Bulletin of International Institute for Sustainable Development. The Like Minded Developing Countries which includes India, the Arab group of countries, African group, and others lamented developed countries’ lack of political will to implement their legal obligation under Paris Agreement Article 9.1 and UNFCCC Article 4.3 (provision of new and additional financial resources by developed countries). They supported a standalone item on Article 9.1 which was opposed by the EU, Environmental Integrity Group (developed country coalition), and Australia among others who pointed to existing finance-related agenda items that include consideration of Article 9.1, such as the Standing Committee on Finance, the Bulletin said. Developed countries also tried to block discussions on advancing the Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP) and finance consultations for it, according to observers. “The first week of informal consultations on the Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP)...began with numerous proposals from developing countries on actionable outcomes, amidst continuous attempts from developed countries to limit and block these proposals from advancing the work programme,” the Third World Network said in its bulletin. Developed countries placed more emphasis on having key high-level messages emerging from the dialogues as important outcomes from JTWP this year, and did not agree to any new institutional arrangement that would have additional financial implications, citing that discussion on any new institutional arrangement is premature, and Parties should wait until the review of the work programme in 2026, TWN, an independent non-profit international research and advocacy organisation involved in issues related to the Global South. India, speaking in its national capacity, on June 22 also raised its concerns in the use of language such as “global or international partnerships” as there is concern on whether one would consider these partnerships as “just” or not. (India was referring to the Just Energy Transition Partnerships – JETPs). It also raised concerns about the interpretations of just transitions by developed countries reflecting that “higher ambition is inherently just”. India said it would agree with it if it is rooted in historical responsibilities and equity as we all agreed that this work programme would be implemented in context of Article 2.2 of the PA. (Article 2.2 of the PA states that, “This Agreement will be implemented to reflect equity and the principle of CBDR- and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances.”), the TWN reported. The JTWP was established at COP28 held in Dubai, but its scope and operationalisation are currently being negotiated at Bonn. The aim is to recommend a draft decision for adoption at COP30, to be held in Belém later this year. “The inclusion of unilateral trade measures (such as carbon border tax) under the JTWP is at the heart of the contestations. G77 and China, the largest developing countries bloc consisting of 134 countries want a discussion on UTM as such measures hinder their ability to eradicate poverty and develop sustainably. Developed countries do not want to discuss that,” said Rudrath Avinashi, Programme Officer, Centre for Science and Environment. “Additionally, the developed countries want the just transition pathways to be in line with 1.5 degree celsius global temperature goal. As a response, India on behalf of the like minded developing countries have argued that any targets which are global in nature should be rooted in the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capacities,” he added. “We are here at Bonn not to engage in a rudimentary exercise in negotiating text, but to enact a critical defence of lives and uphold the right of our countries to thrive,” said Anne Rasmussen, Lead ClimateNegotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) in a statement on Tuesday. “Our world has not yet crossed the Paris Agreement 1.5-degree Celsius limit which refers to a 20-year average, but the most recent scientific reports underscore we are in a far worse danger zone than we previously thought. AOSIS calls on all countries to ensure we do not fail in our mission and destroy our citizens’ hopes of a sustainable future,” she added.

Under the blistering sun: Rising heat and the struggles of Chennai’s coastal communities

A study conducted by the Urban Lab at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which analysed summer temperatures in India’s megacities since 2011, revealed that Chennai is the hottest among them, with an average summer heat index of 37.4°C, primarily due to elevated humidity levels. Anthony Ammal, a 43-year-old fisher from the coastal hamlet of Pulicat in Chennai, begins her day long before the sun scorches the concrete beneath her feet. Her mornings are occupied with preparing her two daughters for school and ensuring they are fed before she steps out. She then makes her way to the Pazhaverkadu fish market, where she labours for approximately 15 hours each day. As she settles into her allocated spot to clean the day’s fresh catch, the sun begins to blaze overhead, and the humid breeze offers little relief. Her sunburnt skin stings each time the salty sweat runs down her arms and face. The heat clings to the air like a heavy blanket, slowly draining her energy. Anthony Ammal removes the fine veins from the prawns with painstaking precision, even as every passing hour brings fresh pain to her aching legs, bent in a squat on the burning concrete. “The sunburn on my skin is the least of my concerns, as I have larger issues of making ends meet,” says Anthony Ammal. On the day I met Anthony Ammal at the Pazhaverkadu Market, the temperature had reached 37°C, but with the high humidity, it felt closer to 40°C. A study conducted by the Urban Lab at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which analysed summer temperatures in India’s megacities since 2011, revealed that Chennai is the hottest among them, with an average summer heat index of 37.4°C, primarily due to elevated humidity levels. At this temperature, the wet bulb temperature can reach 32.49°C. When wet bulb temperatures surpass 30°C, they pose a potentially fatal threat to anyone working outdoors. Despite the harsh conditions, the fisheries sector, often called the ‘Sunrise Sector’, earned ₹60,523.89 crore in seafood exports in 2023–24. The Pazhaverkadu market alone makes up to ₹1 crore on most days. Still, many like Anthony Ammal, one of India’s 30 million who contribute significantly to the fishing economy, struggle to survive, earning a meagre ₹200 per day. As heat waves tighten their grip on Chennai, the rising temperatures pose serious threats to the city’s coastal communities, affecting their health and livelihoods.

Chennai Heatwave Deepens Coastal Livelihood Crisis

A 2024 Centre for Science and Environment study confirms that Chennai now ranks as India’s hottest megacity in terms of average summer heat index, driven largely by humidity. A Fisherwoman starts her 15-hour workday well before dawn, preparing breakfast for her children before heading to Pazhaverkadu’s bustling fish market. As the sun climbs over the coast, so does the heat, pushing “feels-like” temperatures to nearly 40°C. Yet, she squats on blistering concrete, cleaning fish vein by vein for ₹20–₹30 a kilo—her sunburns and leg pain masked by the urgency of survival. Despite generating over ₹1 crore daily in seafood trade and contributing to India’s ₹60,523-crore export economy, Chennai’s coastal labourers—especially women—remain the most exploited. They face unbearable heat, chronic dehydration, and shrinking incomes, all while underpinning one of the country’s most vital food chains. A 2024 Centre for Science and Environment study confirms that Chennai now ranks as India’s hottest megacity in terms of average summer heat index, driven largely by humidity. Fisherwomen in Pulicat and North Chennai play an integral but often invisible role in this economy—hauling fresh catch, selling door to door, drying unsold fish, and cleaning seafood for customers. Yet, most earn barely ₹200–₹300 per day, with no access to shade, toilets, or clean water during their long work hours. The market’s lone toilet costs ₹5 per use; most women simply avoid hydration altogether to limit bathroom breaks. “I carry water, but it heats up by 10 am. We end up buying cold drinks instead,” says Selvi, 54, who also dries fish outdoors. Without sufficient sun, her stock can rot, turning ₹300 of fish into a ₹100 loss. But sun exposure itself is no gift—she suffers from chronic dizziness and dehydration. “Menopause makes everything worse,” she says, describing the hot flashes, headaches, and bone aches now intensified by Chennai’s relentless heat. Doctors warn that prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures combined with poor sanitation and diet is silently corroding the health of these women. “Many of them show signs of kidney strain, eye damage, and potential gastrointestinal cancers,” expert says . Yet most rely on over-the-counter drugs, avoiding clinics to escape medical bills they can’t afford. Meanwhile, structural injustice runs deeper than just gender or temperature. While registered male fishers get ₹8,000 during the annual 60-day fishing ban, women—who also lose work—receive no compensation. Unscheduled work stoppages linked to ISRO launches or sudden sea bans similarly leave families without support. Cooperative society benefits and relief aid remain skewed towards male members, ignoring the critical labour women perform along every link in the seafood supply chain. Worse still, environmental instability is altering fish catch patterns, increasing fuel costs, and eroding traditional knowledge systems. Fish varieties once abundant within two nautical miles now require longer, more dangerous expeditions. Boat owners—who control most of the income—can delay trips during heat waves. Daily-wage workers, however, have no such choice. Expert underscores that rising sea temperatures, pollution, and unseasonal cyclones are making life riskier for fishers across the eastern coast. “But it’s not just the environment. It’s how we’ve structured labour, gender, and compensation in this economy,” he notes. Without systemic reform, the poorest will continue paying the highest price. Activists agree. “Climate change didn’t create this crisis. It magnifies inequality that was already there,” he says, urging policymakers to reframe climate adaptation as a justice issue—not just a technical one. Doctors and experts recommend urgent interventions: free eye and health screenings, post-menopausal care, universal toilet access, and compensation for women during seasonal bans. Simple measures like shaded workspaces, cold storage units, and clean water can drastically reduce health risks while boosting economic productivity. For now, though, fisherwomen like Anthony Ammal continue to work 15-hour days on burning pavements, with salt in their wounds and sun in their eyes. As they clean, sell, and dry the catch that feeds Chennai, they are still waiting—for shade, for pay, and for justice.

Segregation is a no-show in Karnataka

Karnataka is lagging in municipal solid waste segregation and processing, a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has highlighted. According to the report, Karnataka is segregating 32.88% of its total municipal solid waste but processing less than 50% of this amount. While the state generates 5,210.16 tonne per day (TPD) of wet organic waste per day, its total Bio-CNG potential stands at 147 TPD. However, Karnataka lags behind many other states in the country in waste segregation and processing, which hampers its potential to produce BioCNG. Andhra Pradesh segregates the highest proportion of its total municipal waste (78.29%) in the country, followed by Odisha (73.59%) and Maharashtra (67.76%). As per the report, the existing waste management infrastructure cannot effectively handle this volume, resulting in various environmental and health challenges. Traditional waste disposal methods, such as open dumping, dominate the waste management landscape and are linked to severe environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions. Dumpsites produce significant methane, a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 28 to 36 times that of carbon dioxide over 100 years. Experts say biodegradable waste should be used to fuel municipal collection and vehicles. Cities and municipalities such as Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike have the potential to generate Bio-CNG from biodegradable waste and use it to power their collection and transportation fleets. This method not only effectively manages large quantities of waste but also ensures optimal utilisation of the resulting fuel. However, effective segregation is important for the success of any waste processing technology, especially so for Bio-CNG, which requires over 90 per cent segregation of municipal organic waste.

Chennai’s green mystery: One lakh trees planted, but no one knows the total count

Worryingly, a joint study by the Centre for Science and Environment and CMDA shows the city’s green cover has dropped from 34.2% in 2003 to 20.5% in 2023. Meanwhile, Chennai’s built-up area has exploded to 72.9%, fueling Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects of 2.5–3°C in hotspots like Teynampet and Egmore. On World Environment Day (June 5), the Greater Chennai Corporation proudly planted one lakh trees. But when asked what Chennai’s total tree count is now, there’s silence. Unlike other major Indian metros, Chennai has never completed a comprehensive tree census — and isn’t conducting one now either. Cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru have already mapped their green wealth. Mumbai, for instance, reported over 29 lakh trees in its 2017 census. Pune completed its count in 2016. Bengaluru has gone a step further with an institutional Tree Committee under Karnataka’s tree protection law. Chennai, meanwhile, has only flirted with census plans over the past decade, none of which bore fruit. Officials confirm that there’s no current census in progress. Previous efforts, like a limited 2011 count by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department and a 2017 geo-tagging plan under the Smart City Mission, were partial and inconclusive. Worryingly, a joint study by the Centre for Science and Environment and CMDA shows the city’s green cover has dropped from 34.2% in 2003 to 20.5% in 2023. Meanwhile, Chennai’s built-up area has exploded to 72.9%, fueling Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects of 2.5–3°C in hotspots like Teynampet and Egmore. Experts urge immediate green audits. NGOs like Nizhal have shown this is feasible. In 2016, their GIS-based study in Ward 176 proved that structured tree data — including health, species, and damage assessment — is achievable and crucial for urban planning.

Six of Himachal’s ‘greenest’ schools win Chief Minister’s GSP Rolling Trophy for 2024-25

Recently Six schools from Himachal Pradesh were awarded the prestigious 2024-25 Chief Minister’s GSP Rolling Trophies for their exceptional environmental initiatives. The awards ceremony, held at Hotel Peterhoff in Shimla, celebrated the schools’ commitment to sustainable practices. The awards were presented by Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) Green Schools Programme (GSP) in collaboration with the Himachal Pradesh Council for Science and Technology and Environment (HIMCOSTE). The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, presented the awards; D S Rana, Member Secretary of HIMCOSTE, was also present at the event. Solan district , known for its consistent leadership in environmental sustainability, was recognised as the best-performing district in the state , with three of the six award-winning schools from this region. The district continues to set a high bar for green practices in schools. The GSP Rolling Trophy, introduced in 2017, acknowledges schools that participate in the GSP audit and work tirelessly to promote sustainability. CSE, a leading environmental research body in South Asia, and HIMCOSTE have been working together for nearly a decade to advance environmental education in Himachal Pradesh, nurturing a generation of eco-conscious students. Speaking on the occasion, HIMCOSTE Member Secretary D S Rana said: “We have been working with CSE for over 10 years now, and we are grateful for this partnership. It is essential to prepare the next generation for environmental conservation, and the Green Schools Programme is doing this remarkably well. We hope this collaboration continues in the same spirit in the years to come.” The Winning Schools: Govt Sr Secondary School Baldeyan, Shimla : Awarded the Changemaker School Award for consistently improving its green performance and inspiring other institutions in the state. Govt Sr Secondary School Bhaleth, Hamirpur : Awarded the GSP Waste Warrior Award for its exceptional waste management practices, setting an example for schools across the state. Govt High School Kanah, Solan : Honoured with the GSP Land Manager Award for its outstanding efforts in land conservation and sustainable land use management. Doon Valley Public School, Solan : Awarded the GSP Energy Manager Award for its innovative energy conservation efforts and implementation of renewable energy practices. Govt Sr Sec School Sarog, Shimla : Received the GSP Newcomer Award for its impressive overall performance across several sections of the GSP audit, emerging as a leader in environmental education. Shivalik Valley School, Nalagarh, Solan : Recognised with the GSP Waterwise Award for its effective water management practices, including water conservation and rainwater harvesting initiatives. Neeraj Kumar , Programme Manager, Environmental Education at CSE, said, “Himachal Pradesh is setting an inspiring example in 2024-25 with 290 schools completing CSE’s annual GSP audit of resources and environmental practices inside their campuses — marking the second-highest participation by any state in India. The award-winning schools exemplify what can be achieved through dedicated efforts in environmental education.” The Green Schools Programme (GSP) encourages schools to improve their environmental practices in key areas such as energy conservation, waste management, water use, and biodiversity enhancement. The programme empowers students to become future leaders in sustainability, promoting responsible environmental practices that benefit both the school community and the larger society. What Makes a School ‘Green’? A “green school” is characterised by several core practices, including but not limited to: A window-to-floor ratio (WFR) of more than 5 percent. Promoting sustainable transportation options such as public transport, e-rickshaws, cycling, and walking. Maximizing energy-efficient lighting and utilizing renewable energy sources. Enhancing green cover by planting native species and fostering biodiversity on school grounds. Serving only cooked meals, avoiding packaged foods, to promote healthy and sustainable eating. Implementing rainwater harvesting systems and treating wastewater. Segregating waste at source, recycling at least 90 percent of waste, and responsibly managing disposal. Composting wet waste and avoiding incineration.

Forget AI. Keeping cool is the bigger power sector problem

"A single heatwave - even one lasting just a few days - causes tens of thousands of excess deaths in India," according to a report published in April by India's Centre for Science and the Environment. Utilities in the developed world are stressing over how to keep up with demand from data centres and artificial intelligence searches. But globally, keeping people cool is likely to be a much bigger drain on electricity grids and a more pressing power sector challenge. Worldwide, data centres and air conditioners are both projected to triple their electricity use over the coming decade, and will severely test utilities that are already under strain from aging grids and lengthy backlogs for new supply. Indeed, electricity demand from data centres is projected to rise by roughly 800 terawatt hours (TWh) by 2035, from around 416 TWh in 2024, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). That is enough to power around 75 million American homes for a year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Global demand for cooling systems, however, is set to rise by around 1,200 TWh by 2035, or nearly as much electricity as the entire Middle East consumes annually, data from think thank Ember shows. Importantly, the location of demand growth also differs significantly between the two drivers, as does the consequences of failure to meet this spike. Most data centre expansions are set to be within developed economies with modern power networks, and increased demand will primarily come from processing search requests for businesses and social media applications. In contrast, the vast majority of the demand growth for air conditioning is set to occur in emerging economies where many communities already face the prospect of heat-related deaths and illness within already fragile energy systems. Increased deaths and human suffering, the likely outcome of power system shortfalls in the developing world, are of a different order of magnitude than the risk of slower search results and economic drag that could result from failure to boost power supplies for data hubs. BUILDING IMPACT Climate change is leading to more frequent, more intense and more prolonged heatwaves across the world, but especially in developing regions such as South and Southeast Asia where high humidity levels can amplify the impact of heat stress. "A single heatwave - even one lasting just a few days - causes tens of thousands of excess deaths in India," according to a report published in April by India's Centre for Science and the Environment. To combat the effects, new homes and offices across warm climate countries are scaling up the number of cooling units they contain. And many of these areas are already undergoing a building boom, magnifying the amount of space needing to be cooled. In 2022, around 36% of all households were estimated to possess some air conditioning equipment, according to the IEA. By 2035, that share is expected to jump to 50%, and then to 60% by 2050. To power that expanding footprint, the installed capacity of cooling equipment is set to surge from around 850 gigawatts (GW) in 2022 to 1,750 GW by 2035, and to 2,700 GW by 2050, IEA data shows. INDIA-LED India, which already has the world's largest population and is expected to have the third largest economy by 2035, is expected to be the main driver of cooling system demand in the coming decades. Currently, around 5% of the world's stock of air conditioners is in India, or around 110 million units of the roughly 2.4 billion in use globally, per the IEA. By 2035, India's share of the global air conditioner stock is set to rise to 13% (to nearly 500 million units), and then to more than 1.1 billion units by 2050. Indonesia, another fast-growing populous nation prone to hot and humid spells, is set to treble its air conditioner count by 2035, while Brazil, Mexico and the Middle East are all set to more than double it. WIDENING LOADS Power firms in all regions have their work cut out in ramping up electricity supplies to match the projected demand growth from both data centres and cooling systems. But again, the challenges faced in addressing these two demand drivers will differ based on where the power is needed. In the United States and Europe, most data centre expansions are taking place close to established generation sites, so that server farms can tap uninterrupted power and avoid transmission delays. In developing economies, many of the new cooling systems are within new multi-story apartment buildings or on previously undeveloped land, meaning that power suppliers have to vastly expand their geographic reach while also boosting volumes. Needing to rapidly increase both the scope and scale of electricity production will likely expand the use of coal-fired power in India, Indonesia and elsewhere, which will generate pollution that may further accelerate warming trends. But the sheer magnitude of energy demand growth ensures that fossil fuels alone will not be able to meet it, and that supplies from a multitude of power sources will have to be deployed. This "all of the above" approach, in turn, means that power from clean energy and renewable sources should gain a growing share of the generation mix over time, potentially squeezing out high polluting fuels from electricity production. But in the near term, the fossil fuels burned to meet the rising demand for power will only increase. The need to keep people safe and comfortable as temperatures keep climbing will thus only exacerbate future heat stress, putting ever more pressure on strained electrical grids.

India is the world's biggest plastic polluter: What it means for our health

And thereby hangs a whole tale. In a 2022 analysis of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data from 23 states and Union territories, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) concluded that only 12 per cent of plastic waste in India is recycled.. At the sprawling 250-acre plastic bazaar at Tikri Kalan on the Delhi-Haryana border, towering mounds of white PP raffia bags stuffed with plastic scrap line the dusty, winding lanes. The plastic is segregated into at least 100 distinct varieties, ensuring each sack contains only one kind of plastic, since mixed plastic cannot be processed together. “Plastic waste from every district of India comes here,” says Vijay Sharma, office secretary, PVC and Plastic Waste Dealers Association. Between 30 and 50 trucks, each of 10-15 tonne capacity, arrive daily, says Sharma. Other traders estimate the figure to be much higher—200-250 trucks. Which means only one thing: the presence of a massive informal market—much larger than the formal one—right on Tikri Kalan’s periphery. And thereby hangs a whole tale. In a 2022 analysis of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data from 23 states and Union territories, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) concluded that only 12 per cent of plastic waste in India is recycled, 20 per cent of it is burned while a significant 70 per cent is unaccounted-for, likely ending up in landfills or dumpyards and along roadsides. No wonder India emerged as the world’s largest plastic emitter in a September 2024 study published in science journal Nature, which based its conclusions on 2020 data gleaned from 50,702 municipalities worldwide. India contributes 9.3million tonnes (Mt), or 20 per cent, to the 52.1 Mt of the annual global plastic waste emissions. This refers to the waste emitted into the environment that is not subject to any form of management or control. An estimated 5.8 Mt of plastic is openly burned in India, releasing poisonous gases; 3.5 Mt escapes as loose plastic in the environment that eventually enters the oceans. This is not counting the enormous quantum that gets collected and thrown in mismanaged sites, where it eventually decomposes and leaches deadly toxins into the soil. In an e-mail, the authors of the study told india today that the total plastic waste generated in India is 27.8 Mt, far, far higher than the 3.5 Mt the CPCB estimated for 2020 (see The India Stack). As the study says, official figures in India do not include rural areas, open burning of uncollected waste or waste recycled by the informal sector.

The New Normal: Growing Climate Crisis of Heatwaves

Official statistics often undercount heat-related deaths. Many fatalities are misclassified or go unrecognised, as highlighted by a Down To Earth investigation. “The real number of deaths due to heat stress is likely several times higher than reported,” said Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), in the article titled A matter of life and death published by Down To Earth. “This is a silent killer.” India is no stranger to scorching summers, but the past few years have rewritten the record books. In 2024, the country endured its longest heatwave since 2010, with temperatures soaring above 40°C for weeks on end across multiple states. The increasing red and orange alerts, and subsequent erratic rainfall bringing cities to a standstill, are direct consequences of global warming. The World Meteorological Organisation declared 2024 the hottest year ever recorded, and India stood at the epicentre of this global heat emergency. Why Are Heatwaves Getting Worse? Climate change is the primary culprit. As greenhouse gases trap more heat in the atmosphere, extreme weather events, like heatwaves, floods, droughts, and storms, are becoming more frequent, intense, and prolonged. According to the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), “Asia accounted for 45 per cent of global heat-related deaths between 2000 and 2019, and India, where over a billion people face heatwaves annually, remains among the most affected regions.” The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has repeatedly warned that without rapid emissions cuts, the world will see even more dangerous heat extremes. Dr. Arunabha Ghosh, CEO of CEEW, notes, “Heat is often called an invisible disaster because it does not leave behind physical destruction, making it harder to measure its impact. But its effects are devastating and wide-ranging," in an interview quoting the CEEW report. Who Is Most at Risk? A new CEEW study, covering 734 districts, found that 57 per cent of Indian districts, home to 76 per cent of the population, are at high risk. Vulnerable groups include the elderly, children, pregnant women, people with chronic illnesses, slum dwellers, gig workers, police personnel, agricultural labourers, and construction workers. "There is a lot of productivity loss and economic loss which is happening, which may not be a death, but it is definitely having a big impact on families, " said Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, former Chief Scientist at the World Health Organisation to PTI. She also warned of the consequences to mental health dur to prolonged heat exposure. "If you do not get any relief from heat for a prolonged period, then we know, for example, suicides go up, psychiatric illnesses get worse, and domestic violence increases," Swaminathan added. The Hidden Toll Official statistics often undercount heat-related deaths. Many fatalities are misclassified or go unrecognised, as highlighted by a Down To Earth investigation. “The real number of deaths due to heat stress is likely several times higher than reported,” said Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), in the article titled A matter of life and death published by Down To Earth. “This is a silent killer.” The economic impact is staggering. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that India could lose the equivalent of 35 million full-time jobs and see a 4.5 per cent reduction in GDP by 2030 due to heat stress. Power grids buckle under surging demand, crops wither, and water sources dry up, threatening food and water security for millions.