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Cse In News

Can Bengaluru take a leaf out of the global cities to mitigate urban flooding?

Bengaluru should take global cities as models to mitigate its chronic problem of urban flooding. In Singapore, every large building has a green roof (vegetation) that can store rainwater that helps in urban cooling, stormwater management and improves air quality. In the Netherlands, the ‘Room-for-the-river concept is adopted, where the river (or rainwater) is allowed to flood agricultural land, playgrounds and parking lots every 10-20 years to save the downstream big cities from devastation. In Ghana, the ‘polluter must pay’ principle is a sustainable funding option where taxes collected on plastics is being used to build recycling plants. Moving beyond engineering solutions to urban floods, a global webinar on “Managing urban floods in today’s climate-risked world”, hosted by Centre for Science and Environment discussed nature-based solutions drawing examples from Global South cities. Flagging the chronic issues plaguing the flood control in cities, experts stated that poor urban planning and governance, outdated drainage systems, fragmented institutional responsibility, data gaps, weak early warning systems, urban planning without factoring in climate change, encroachment of wetlands, weak enforcement of land use and zoning regulations, poor solid waste management, and lack of public awareness

Our Existence is ‘Ubuntu’

The Rise of the Neo Locals: A Generational Reversal of Globalisation by Sunita Narain is a collection of The Prelusion (a synonym for Prelude) and ten essays written between 2016 and 2024. It covers a range of issues, from the ‘global locals’ to energy transition and migration making it obvious that our existence is ‘Ubuntu’ – which means everyone and everything – the living and non-living, the organic and the inorganic, the present, the past and the future are all connected. This a short, but intense book, of keynotes and essays from the pen of India’s best known environmentalist who has steered both Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth (DTE) as important dialogue and action platforms as well as a respected voice of empirical research in the global debates on the subject of ecology, environment and our shared future. The Prelusion is a synoptic review of the last six decades of India – of moving from the ship to mouth existence when US wheat was provided to India (and other food deficit countries) under Eisenhower’s PL 480. It talks about the banning of Coca Cola in 1977, the establishment of the Maruti factory in the early eighties and the 1991 liberalisation of Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh. For Narain, 1992 is an important year – it marked the launch of DTE as well as the Earth Rio Earth summit. The decade also saw global protests – at Seattle and Occupy the Wall (Street). While the World Bank was only looking at parameters like economic growth, the UN was a shade better. It launched the MDGs and SDGs and nudged governments into putting their time, resources and attention to improving the condition of the resource poor people and countries. She discusses Covid 19 and the challenges of individual countries trying to contain a virus which could not be contained by border fences, and the irony of China controlling the critical elements to make the transition from fossil fuels. ‘Global locals’ is about the disruption caused by aggregators like AIRBNB and Uber: they own no room or car, but have created a matrix in which demand and supply is matched seamlessly, and the users create their own feedback loop. Governments and regulators have no option but to adjust to this new ‘market access force’. The binary between the formal and the informal is completely shattered and is perhaps the prelude to a different business future. ‘Just between you and me’ is the leaked email between Larry Summers, the Chief Economist of the World Bank, in which he made a forceful argument for the ‘migration of dirty industries to less developed countries’. Here is an attempt by the developed world to shift the backyard of waste to those regions where those who lived on the margins were deprived, not just of livelihoods, but also of ‘political voice’. Narain visited some of these dump yards in the vicinity of New Delhi – the Tikri Kalan in the NCT of Delhi and Modern Industrial estate in Bahadurgarh district of Haryana to see for herself the smoke belching chimneys and the contaminated groundwater which has rendered agricultural lands unfit for cultivation besides making dairying and animal husbandry absolutely impossible. In ‘Waste not the ecological globalisation’, Narain asks: What is dissent? The response of the powerless to prevent something. The nineties saw two global processes – those of economic and ecological interconnectedness -the former represented by the WTO and the IPR regime, the latter by the IPCC and the CBD. However, for all their platitudes about global commons and shared destinies, each individual nation state was trying to maximise its own gains. In the contest between business transactions and good governance, the former won hands down. When this happened, the asymmetry was wide and visible: those at the margins, especially farmers and primary producers in the non-industrialised countries were the biggest losers – for agro input supplies were part of global supply chains, while the farmers’ price discovery depended on local and sub regional markets. Again, there was a wide gap between prices at the farm gate, and what the consumer paid at the retail end. In the next essay, she holds the Swedish school girl, Greta Thunberg, as the herald of the new movement of school children to demand greater ecological equity from their governments. Now 22, Greta is at the forefront of the protest against the Israeli blitzkrieg in Palestine. Narain hopes and believes that her idealism will grow to change the paradigm of the extant resource extractive business model in favour of a circular economy which respects the rights of the future generations to nature. In ‘The circles are shrinking’, she questions that paradigm of globalisation in which the elite across countries is satisfied with global value chains – which connect raw materials with cheap labour but shies from political equity. It’s actually a global class war – in which the merchant bankers are pitted against those engaged in primary production. ‘Trumped’ is a discussion on how trade won over climate, and consumption over emission control. But Brexit also made it clear that European mandarins were out of sync with the ‘lived reality’ of the vast majority whose incomes were not keeping pace with the rising inflation, and the disparity between wages and share price index was increasing the gap between the hype and reality of a shared European community. And some of the efforts of the European leaders to cut emissions cut into the lives and livelihoods of their workers – as shown in the yellow vests protest which brought Paris to a grinding halt. What is Natural about Disasters? She questions the use of the term ‘natural disasters’ especially in the context of ecologies that have been transformed on account of anthropocentric interventions. In ‘Climate’s local call and the denier’ she avers that the unprecedented floods of Kerala in 2018 were a tragedy waiting to happen. The natural drainage system in God’s own country – from forests to paddy fields to ponds and streams – had been decimated by technical agencies which planned ‘flood control and dam management’ with hubris of an unprecedented scale; thereby giving nature an alibi to strike back with vengeance. ‘Reclaiming our Food Sovereignty’ delves into how the food MNCs systematically ruined the profession of Home Economics and introduced convenience foods laced with white sugar and salt as the ‘new American aspiration’. Everything had to look and taste similar – irrespective of whether or not it was healthy. No wonder then that even the World bank’s poverty index was linked to the price of a McDonald’s burger. Subliminal advertisements got generations hooked to junk food – which in turn helped the pharmaceutical industry. Countries like India still have the potential to reverse this trend – if we ate what we grew locally, it would indeed be the way to a healthier life and a healthier planet. The heading of the last chapter is a take on the Cartesian aphorism ‘Cogito Ergo Sum: I think, therefore, I am’. In ‘I Migrate, therefore I am’, Narain talks about the CAA, the classification of all outsiders in states like Assam, and the fact that demography is indeed destiny for it shapes the political discourse everywhere. But this is a tough call – for solutions are not simply available by ticking the right columns. People migrate when their ecologies, economies and political systems are either too fragile, or outright adversarial. Although, polarisation helps political parties win the next election, unless the causal issues are addressed, it is like rearranging the deck chairs on The Titanic as the ship hurtles towards the hidden iceberg. Sanjeev Chopra (born 3 March, 1961) is a retired IAS officer of the 1985 batch, from Kapurthala, Punjab. He is a resident of Dehradun. He is a former Director of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration and has written a book, “We, the People of the States of Bharat: The Making and Remaking of India’s Internal Boundaries”, published in 2022. He is now the patron and honorary consultant to a literary festival, the Valley of Words International Literary Festival, held annually in Dehradun. Chopra has held the Hubert H Humphrey Fellowship (Cornell), the Robert S McNamara Fellowship (World Bank) and positions at Royal Asiatic Society, London, the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute (Harvard).

Speaking of the Margins

Sunita Narain’s The Rise of the Neo-Locals is a fiercely evocative mosaic of essays that challenge the global order and urge for a grounded, interconnected, and ecologically just future

Ozone exposure up, experts point at health hazards

With the rising mercury, ozone levels have also increased in the city. An analysis of hourly ozone concentrations for this summer showed that it was above 120 micrograms per cubic metre for 75 hours this season from March 1 to June 8. Delhi crossed this mark for 11 hours last season, stated the analysis carried out by think tank Envirocatalysts. At 100 hours, the city went beyond the current duration level in the 2019 summer. The national ambient air quality standard for ozone for an hour is 180 micrograms per cubic metre. Though the city met the standard, experts pointed out that the number of hours showing elevated levels of ozone was higher than in the past few years. Ozone is a very hazardous gas, resulting in aggravated health impacts even at short-term high exposures and leading to high asthma cases and other respiratory illnesses, said Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at Envirocatalysts. "Higher sunlight and precursor gas emissions from transport, industries and other combustion activities, in the form of NOx and other gases, result in high ozone formation. Rising temperatures and the presence of precursor gases make the summer months more susceptible to high ozone build-up," he said. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment, said ozone is not directly emitted by any source. "However, gases emitted from vehicles and industry react with each other under the influence of sunlight to form ozone in the air. The ozone levels are usually high during summer months when we notice frequent exceedance. Ozone is a highly reactive gas and can trigger and aggravate serious respiratory and asthma symptoms even after short-duration exposure," she said. Calling the rising ozone an "emerging air pollution challenge in the city", Roychowdhury emphasised the need to make it the focus of clean air action plans and implementation. "This will require strong curbs on emissions from all sources and also an accelerated zero emissions pathway," she added. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which analysed ground-level ozone in 10 metropolitan cities in 2023 and 2024, found that Delhi-NCR and Mumbai metropolitan region reported higher exceedances of ozone concentration compared to other regions in the country. TOI reported that the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change informed National Green Tribunal in April that it would constitute an expert committee to study the impact of ozone pollution in cities across the country and submit a report.

Questions over carbon credit

Arriving at a low carbon price will defeat the purpose of the scheme. A think-tank in Delhi Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has estimated that the targets under CCTS are a little more ambitious vis-à-vis PAT. It may, however, be added that the parameters under the two schemes are different though there is interdependence. The much-awaited targets for the reduction in emissions intensity under the carbon credit trading scheme (CCTS) was announced in April 2025. Readers would be aware that the detailed procedure for the scheme was made public in July 2024, and this scheme will eventually take over the ongoing Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme. Of course, the parameter that would be monitored will change from the product’s energy consumed per unit to greenhouse gas (GHG) emitted per unit. The latest notification has given the base figure for GHG emissions (2023-24) and the corresponding targets for 2025-26 and 2026-27. A glance at the notification reveals that it is extremely small in scope and covers less than 10% of India’s GHG emissions. Only four sectors are being covered initially—cement, aluminium, pulp & paper, and chlor-alkali. In all, 282 units have been identified and given their target emissions intensity. The notification is actually a draft and comments were sought by around mid-May. Ideally, the notification should have been supplemented with a technical note, indicating how the targets have been arrived at, which apparently has been done after multiple rounds of consultations. It is, however, seen that there are large variations in the targets within each sector and they also vary across sectors. Moreover, the targets for the first year are more modest compared to the next year. Had a technical note been released along with the notification, it would have lent transparency to the entire process. The existing PAT scheme covers 13 sectors which account for about 60% of India’s emissions. It is no secret that the target reductions under PAT have been extremely modest. This has led to depressed prices of the energy saving certificates (EScerts). This is bound to happen if the supply of EScerts far outweighs the demand. Reasons for low demand are twofold. One, as already mentioned, the targets were modest and hence achieved, with EScerts being issued. Second, there is a lack of regulatory supervision when it comes to buying EScerts, with no penalties being levied on the defaulters. The maladies of the PAT scheme will definitely creep into the CCTS if the targets are again kept modest. Arriving at a low carbon price will defeat the purpose of the scheme. A think-tank in Delhi Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has estimated that the targets under CCTS are a little more ambitious vis-à-vis PAT. It may, however, be added that the parameters under the two schemes are different though there is interdependence. After all, energy consumption is directly related to GHG emissions. Whether the targets set are good enough to arrive at a realistic carbon price, only time will tell. The CCTS has kept a provision of penalties (called compensation), which would be double the carbon price. This ensures that it would make economic sense to buy the certificates rather than pay a penalty. The real test is whether CCTS will function in respect of government-owned, loss-making units whose prices are determined on a cost-plus basis. The reference is, of course, to the power sector, though as of now, this sector is outside the purview of CCTS. The power sector, incidentally, accounts for almost 40% of India’s GHG emissions and hence the efficacy of CCTS here is vital. Once the power sector is included within the purview of CCTS, there would be two regulatory bodies governing the sector, namely the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and the electricity regulatory commissions (ERCs). As is well known, the regulatory commissions determine the retail tariff for the distribution companies (discoms) as well as the generation tariff for those generators who have not come through the competitive bidding route. To do that, the ERCs lay down the trajectory transmission and distribution (T&D) losses for discoms and the generators, with a certain heat rate assumed. Based on this, the tariffs are determined. Under the CCTS, the BEE too will make certain assumptions about the T&D losses and the heat rate to determine the targets for emissions intensity. It is obvious that any divergence in these assumptions will bring the BEE and the ERCs in conflict. Moreover, when a cost-plus entity (like a generation plant or discom) has to incur expenditure to buy certificates under CCTS (if it does not meet its emission target), should this be treated as legitimate expenditure and recovered through tariff? The same question would be valid in case a penalty is levied. Either way, it would be unfair as far as the retail consumers are concerned and the fact is that a majority of the discoms have no surplus within themselves to pay for this. How this problem will play out will only be known after the power sector is brought into the fold of CCTS. Globally, till the mid of last year, about 89 countries had introduced some form of a carbon market, covering about 25% of the world’s emissions. Many countries have introduced it in the power sector as well. Some notable examples are the European Union, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea. This list is, of course, not exhaustive. India’s attempt in having a CCTS has only just begun and it may take a decade before a mature scheme takes shape and determines a realistic carbon price. The fact that India’s biggest emitter, the power sector, is a regulated cost-plus entity may make the process more cumbersome.

Trying Hard To Abate: Indian Cement And Steel Makers Are Going The Extra Mile

Almost 70% of the infrastructure that India needs to become developed by 2047, whether it’s roads, ports, airports or power plants, is yet to be built, leaving huge scope for the country to make its public works sustainable. With that in mind, steel and cement makers in the world’s fifth-largest economy are transitioning towards low-carbon manufacturing by reducing dependence on coal to fire their plants. They are investing in new energy-efficient technologies, switching to renewable energy and even using waterways and trucks powered by liquefied natural gas and electricity. Steel makers are increasing the use of scrap and piloting production of green hydrogen. Of course, there’s a flip side to the effort. Integrating sustainability means spending more money. According to a steel ministry assessment, conventional steel costs Rs 55,000 per metric tonne, while green steel with 10% blending costs Rs 60,500; 20% and 30% blended products cost Rs 66,000 and Rs 71,500 per MT, respectively. The effort is not limited to manufacturing plants. For instance, Carbon Bank, launched by Tata Steel last year, helps customers adopt low-carbon steel aligned with global standards. Jindal Stainless recently inaugurated India’s first green hydrogen plant in the stainless steel industry to cut annual carbon emissions by 2,700 tonnes. ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India is targeting about 70% output through green technology by 2027. Cement companies, too, are pumping large investments into renewable power and sustainable mobility. In December 2024, UltraTech Cement, India’s largest cement maker, used inland waterways to transport gypsum. The change has come during an opportune period as the per capita steel and cement consumption is set to increase given the massive infrastructure needs of the country. The per capita consumption of cement in India is 257 kg, far less than the global average of 540 kg. And per capita consumption of steel is around 77 kg per year compared with the global average of 233 kg. “The Ministry of Steel is already working on a green steel public procurement policy. The question is to what extent this policy would support the mandated entities in absorbing the higher costs attached with green steel,” says Parth Kumar, industry programme manager at the Centre for Science and Environment. “Mandated preference for low-carbon cement in government tenders could push the demand for low-carbon cement,” he says. Soon, public sector tenders may come with a clause for green steel procurement.

एफएसएसएम प्रणाली को सुदृढ़ करने पर जोर

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) और नगर निगम गोरखपुर के जलकल विभाग के संयुक्त तत्वावधान में सुरक्षित मल प्रबंधन एवं सह-शोधन (को-ट्रीटमेंट) प्रणाली का निरीक्षण गुरुवार को सम्पन्न हुआ। निरीक्षण का उद्देश्य मल प्रबंधन उपविधियों की अधिसूचना, संयंत्रों की प्रदर्शन गुणवत्ता, निगरानी प्रणाली की मजबूती और निजी टैंकर ऑपरेटरों के पंजीकरण की प्रक्रिया को सुदृढ़ करना था। निरीक्षण के दौरान गोरखपुर नगर निगम क्षेत्र स्थित शहीद अशफाक उल्ला खां प्राणि उद्यान के निकट रामगढ़झील में 50 केएलडी सह-शोधन संयंत्र (को- ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट) और 30 एमएलडी सीवेज ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट (एसटीपी) की कार्यप्रणाली और दक्षता का मूल्यांकन किया गया। यह निरीक्षण सीएसई के प्रोग्राम ऑफिसर ई. मनीष मिश्रा एवं जलकल विभाग के कनिष्ठ अभियंता ई धीरज वर्मा ने किया। निरीक्षण के दौरान मल प्रबंधन गतिविधियों को कानूनी ढांचे में लाने के उद्देश्य से नगर निगम से अधिसूचना की स्थिति की समीक्षा की गई। दोनों संयंत्रों की वर्तमान संचालन स्थिति और उपचार क्षमता का निरीक्षण कर गुणवत्ता आकलन किया गया। अधिकारियों ने बताया कि उनकी कोशिश गोरखपुर में फीकल स्लज एंड सेप्टेज मैनेजमेंट (एफएसएसएम ) को बेहतर और व्यवस्थित बनाने की है। सीएसई ने भविष्य में नगर निगम को तकनीकी सहायता प्रदान करने की प्रतिबद्धता भी दोहराई गई।

भारत में पड़ रही भयंकर गर्मी से कैसे बचा जा सकता है

पि छले हफ्ते, दि ल्ली के रि सर्च इस्टि ट्यूट, सेंटर फॉ र सा इंस एंड एनवा यरनमेंट (सी एसई) ने भा रत के पर्या वरण पर अपनी वा र्षि कर्षि रि पो र्ट जा री की । जि समें दि खा या गया है कि चरम मौ समी घटना एं देश की बड़ी आबा दी को कि स तरह भा वि त कर रही हैं। रि पो र्ट के मुता बि क, पि छले सा ल भा रत में चरम मौ सम संबंधी घटना ओं के का रण लगभग 3,000 लो गों की मौ त, 20 ला ख हेक्टेयर फसल बर्बा द और 80,000 से अधि क घर तबा ह हो गए। यह भी सा मने आया कि 2024 के 88 फी सदी दि नों में भा रत के कि सी ना कि सी हि स्से में चरम मौ समी घटना एं घट रही थीं । वर्तमा न में पूरा उर भा रत भी षण गर्मी से जूझ रहा है और ऐसी गर्मी के दि न आने वा ले सा लों में और बढऩे की आशंका एं हैं। सी एसई की नि देशक, सुनी ता ना रा यण ने डी डब्ल्यू को बता या कि यह रि पो र्ट भा रत में नी ति बना ने वा लों के लि ए एक चेता वनी है। उन्हों ने कहा , ‘यह रि पो र्ट बेहद अहम है क्यों कि यह दि खा ती है कि हमें अब पर्या वरण के लि ए और सजग शा सन, बेहतर स्वा सेवा और जलवा यु नी ति यों की जरत है, ता कि इन समस्या ओं का डट कर सा मना कि या जा सके।’ कुछ शहरों ने गर्मी से बचने के लि ए कदम उठा ए हैं लेकि न गर्मी की ती ता को देखते हुए इन्हें पर्या नहीं कहा जा सकता । वा यु दूषदूण, गर्मी और बा ढ़ दुनिदुनिया में सबसे खरा ब वा यु गुणवत्ता र अर भा रत के शहरों में ही दर्ज कि ए जा ते हैं। रि पो र्ट के अनुसा र, 2021 से अब तक दि ल्ली समेत भा रत के 13 शहरों में हर ती न में से एक दि न लो गों को दूषिदूषित और असुरक्षि त हवा में सां स लेना पड़ता है। वि भि अयनों में पा या गया है कि वा यु दूषदूण के का रण दि ल्ली वा सि यों का जी वन औसतन लगभग आठ सा ल घट जा ता है। हा लां कि भा रत में अप्रैल से लेकर जून तक का मही ना पा रंपरि क प से गर्म ही हो ता है, लेकि न पि छले एक दशक में गर्मी की ती ता खतरना क तरी के से बढ़ी है। इसके सा थ-सा थ बा रि श और बा ढ़ की ती ता भी सा फ तौ र पर बढ़ी हैं। सी एसई की रि पो र्ट के अनुसा र, भा रत की लगभग 80 फी सदी आबा दी ऐसे क्षेत्रों में रहती है, जो ही टवेव या गंभी र बा ढ़ जैसी प्रा कृति क आपदा ओं के ति संवेदनशी ल हैं। जि सका मतलब हुआ कि देश की एक बड़ी आबा दी लगा ता र जलवा यु खतरों की चपेट में रहती है।

India: Kondisi cuaca yang lebih ekstrem sebagai akibat dari perubahan iklim

Peristiwa cuaca ekstrem seperti banjir, gelombang panas dan badai muncul semakin banyak di India dan memiliki efek negatif yang jauh pada kesehatan, pembangunan dan ekonomi. Ini dikonfirmasi oleh Laporan Tahunan tentang Situasi Lingkungan di India, yang diterbitkan minggu lalu oleh Pusat Sains dan Lingkungan (CSE), sebuah organisasi representasi penelitian dan minat yang berbasis di New Delhi. Menurut laporan itu, hampir 3000 orang meninggal tahun lalu sebagai akibat dari peristiwa terkait cuaca ekstrem. Dua juta hektar area panen dan sekitar 80.000 rumah hancur. Menurut penelitian, peristiwa cuaca ekstrem terjadi di berbagai tempat di 332.2 yang diekstrapolasi secara statistik dari 366 hari di tahun depan 2024. “Laporan ini menggarisbawahi kebutuhan mendesak untuk kebijakan lingkungan yang lebih kuat, peningkatan infrastruktur kesehatan dan kebijakan iklim yang ambisius untuk mengatasi krisis yang saling berhubungan ini,” kata Direktur CSE Sunita Narain kepada Babelpos. Laporan terbaru harus dipahami sebagai panggilan bangun untuk politik. 80 persen populasi yang dipengaruhi oleh perubahan iklim Kota -kota besar -skala India sering dipengaruhi oleh kualitas udara terburuk di dunia. Sejak 2021, penduduk di 13 kota di India, termasuk ibukota Neu Delhi, harus menghirup rata -rata satu dari tiga hari udara yang tidak bersih, laporan itu terdaftar. Dengan konsekuensi yang fatal: orang -orang di Delhi memiliki harapan hidup hampir delapan tahun daripada jika mereka bisa menghirup udara bersih, seperti yang ditunjukkan oleh berbagai studi. Meskipun bulan -bulan musim panas utama di India selalu panas dari April hingga Juni, suhu menjadi lebih ekstrem dalam sepuluh tahun terakhir. Intensitas hujan dan banjir juga meningkat. Sekitar 80 persen populasi India tinggal di daerah yang rentan terhadap bencana, seperti gelombang panas atau banjir parah, kata laporan itu. Data yang terkandung di dalamnya disepakati dengan hasil terpenting dari Studi Global IPE dari tahun 2024, kata Abinash Mohany, kepala Departemen Perubahan Iklim dan Keberlanjutan di IPE Global, sebuah organisasi pengembangan internasional, dalam percakapan dengan Babelpos. Oleh karena itu, 80 persen distrik di India rentan terhadap peristiwa cuaca ekstrem. “India berada di tengah badai di mana iklim, krisis kesehatan dan defisit pembangunan bertabrakan,” kata ahli iklim. “Ini lebih dari sekadar alarm statistik. Ini adalah krisis nyata yang terungkap secara real time,” kata Mohany. Model pengembangan India harus “direorganisasi secara radikal” untuk beradaptasi dengan suhu yang lebih panas, hilangnya keanekaragaman hayati dan keadaan darurat air. “Konsekuensi dari ketidakaktifan hari ini akan menjadi kenyataan yang tidak dapat diubah besok.” Maju -Perencanaan untuk Penyesuaian Iklim Diperlukan Untuk melawan perkembangan ini dengan strategi adaptasi yang efektif, pemerintah India harus berinvestasi lebih banyak dalam akuisisi data, Narain dari tuntutan CSE. “Tanpa data yang dapat dipercaya, tidak ada solusi atau strategi. Oleh karena itu, kami menekankan bahwa kami membutuhkan lebih banyak dan tidak kurang data. Kami harus transparan,” kata Narain. Laporan saat ini tidak mengabaikan kemajuan besar yang telah dibuat India di banyak bidang. “Tapi dia menjelaskan kepada kita bahwa kita tidak diizinkan untuk duduk. Kita harus mencatat tren, memahaminya dan memulai tindakan korektif.” Laporan ini jelas menunjukkan efek percepatan perubahan iklim di India, mengkonfirmasi Akshay Deoras, ilmuwan iklim di British University of Reading, ke Babelpos. “Mengalami cuaca ekstrem dalam banyak hari dalam setahun bukanlah kebetulan statistik. Ini menandakan pergeseran di titik awal.” Ketahanan iklim tidak lagi opsional: “Ini adalah keharusan eksistensial.” Deoras percaya bahwa India harus memberikan bantuan reaktif untuk perencanaan prediktif dan hetorika iklim untuk langkah-langkah yang dapat diukur dengan baik, misalnya melalui pembentukan pusat pengamatan penyakit iklim. “Tanpa investasi langsung dalam adaptasi, sistem peringatan dini dan pengurangan emisi gas rumah kaca, kami menuju masa depan iklim yang tidak stabil, terutama untuk generasi berikutnya,” kata Deoras. “Jam berdetak. Dan tidak ada kesempatan kedua.”

भा रत में पड़ रही भयंकर गर्मी से कैसे बचा जा सकता ह

बाढ़, लूऔर चवात जैसी चरम मौसमी घटनाएं अब भारत मेंपहलेसेकहीं यादा हो रही हैं.जिसका नकारामक भाव लोगों के वाय, देश के विकास और अर्थवथा पर सीधेपड़ रहा है.पिछलेहते, दिली के रिसर्चइस्टिट्यूट, सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंडएं एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) नेभारत के पर्यावरण पर अपनी वार्षिक रिपोर्ट जारी की.जिसमेंदिखाया गया हैकि चरम मौसमी घटनाएं देश की बड़ी आबादी को किस तरह भावित कर रही हैं.रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, पिछलेसाल भारत मेंचरम मौसम संबंधी घटना के कारण लगभग 3,000 लोगों की मौत, 20 लाख हेटेयर फसल बर्बाद और 80,000 सेअधिक घर तबाह हो गए.यह भी सामनेआया कि 2024 के 88 फीसदी दिनों मेंभारत के किसी ना किसी हिसेमेंचरम मौसमी घटनाएं घट रही थीं.वर्तमान मेंपूरा उर भारत भीषण गर्मी सेजूझ रहा हैऔर ऐसी गर्मी के दिन आनेवालेसालों मेंऔर बढ़नेकी आशंकाएं हैं.सीएसई की निदेशक, सुनीता नारायण नेडीडयूको बताया कि यह रिपोर्ट भारत मेंनीति बनानेवालों के लिए एक चेतावनी है. उहोंनेकहा, "यह रिपोर्ट बेहद अहम हैयोंकि यह दिखाती हैकि हमेंअब पर्यावरण के लिए और सजग शासन, बेहतर वाय सेवा और जलवायुनीतियों की जरत है, ताकि इन समया का डट कर सामना किया जा सके" कुछ शहरों नेगर्मी सेबचनेके लिए कदम उठाए हैंलेकिन गर्मी की तीता को देखतेए इहेंपर्यात नहीं कहा जा सकता.वायुषण, गर्मी और बाढ़निया मेंसबसेखराब वायुगुणव गु त्ता तर असर भारत के शहरों मेंही दर्जकिए जातेहैं.रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, 2021 सेअब तक दिली समेत भारत के 13 शहरों मेंहर तीन मेंसेएक दिन लोगों को षित और असुरक्षित हवा मेंसांस लेना पड़ता है.विभि अययनों मेंपाया गया हैकि वायुषण के कारण दिलीवासियों का जीवन औसतन लगभग आठ साल घट जाता है.हालांकि भारत मेंअप्रैल सेलेकर जून तक का महीना पारंपरिक प सेगर्मही होता है, लेकिन पिछलेएक दशक मेंगर्मी की तीता खतरनाक तरीके सेबढ़ी है.इसके साथ-साथ बारिश और बाढ़ की तीता भी साफ तौर पर बढ़ी हैं.सीएसई की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, भारत की लगभग 80 फीसदी आबादी ऐसेक्षेत्रों मेंरहती है, जो हीटवेव या गंभीर बाढ़ जैसी प्राकृतिक आपदा के ति संवेदनशील हैं.जिसका मतलब आ कि देश की एक बड़ी आबादी लगातार जलवायुखतरों की चपेट मेंरहती है.

Recycling in India: Environment agency flags national policy loopholes and illegal imports

are undermining the country’s EPR framework by exploiting regulatory loopholes and following outdated practices. Next month marks three years since India’s landmark ban on single-use plastics came into effect, targeting items such as plastic bags, cutlery, straws, food packaging, and disposable water bottles. The two-part EIA report titled Dirty Deal suggests India’s market-based EPR regulations for plastic packaging left space for producers, importers, and brand owners to fulfill their regulatory requirements by purchasing credits from accredited plastic recyclers instead of directly handling plastic waste. Meanwhile, India’s informal recycling sector remains a key player, handling much of the country’s plastic waste, according to the EIA report. Yet, this sector lacks formal recognition, hindering its ability to integrate with the EPR system. Amy Youngman, legal and policy specialist at EIA, tells Packaging Insights: “India’s informal recycling sector, comprising an estimated 1.5 to 4 million workers, is the backbone of the country’s plastic waste management system.” “These waste pickers and aggregators are responsible for the vast majority of plastic collected and recycled, yet they remain excluded from formal regulatory systems, lacking legal recognition, fair compensation, and basic social protection.” “Research from the Centre for Science and Environment and other organizations working directly with the sector makes clear: without formal inclusion and support, India’s plastic waste goals are not just at risk, they are structurally unsustainable.” Data gaps challenge ban effectiveness Industry. The packaging sector remains a key contributor, driving consumption and waste. “Almost three years after India announced a ban on single-use plastics, implementation remains inconsistent. While some areas report reduced availability of certain banned products, we continue to hear that these items remain widespread on the market,” says Youngman. “The absence of national-level impact data makes it difficult to assess the ban’s overall effectiveness. As with other attempts to regulate plastics in India, gaps or unclarity in the legislative framework have led to persistent challenges, including limited enforcement capacity, inadequate monitoring, and insufficient support for transitioning to alternatives.” Illegal imports strain domestic efforts In 2019, India banned the import of plastic waste, aiming to improve how the country manages its waste and cut down on pollution caused by incorrect packaging disposal. However, changes made to the Plastic Waste Management Rules in 2022 introduced some exceptions. These amendments allow importing PET plastic bottles for reprocessing. “Despite India’s official restrictions, market trade data indicate that plastic waste and recyclates continue to be imported, primarily from the US, Canada, the EU, and Gulf countries,” says Youngman. “Our investigation further reveals that illegal shipments persist due to misdeclaration and the use of intermediaries or brokers, making enforcement challenging and allowing restricted materials to enter the country.”

Launched In April, Summer Plan Inactive In Peak Heat

New Delhi: The Delhi Heat Action Plan 2025 was released in April with much fanfare and featured measures like placing 3,000 water coolers in public spaces, altering timings of construction sites to avoid peak heat between noon and 4pm and sending cautionary SMS alerts to citizens. But even as the mercury has soared, the steps meant to minimise the impact on people are yet to be implemented. Some parts of the city have recorded three consecutive heatwave days. India Meteorological Department has issued a ‘red alert' for heatwave conditions in many places for Thursday. There's a ‘yellow' alert for Friday too. In April, several areas similarly recorded 3-5 heatwave days. After the heat action plan was launched, against the announcement that 3,000 water coolers would be placed across the city and eco-friendly bus stop shelters with green roofs would be established, the water coolers have been placed at just around 20 sites and the eco-friendly bus stop shelters aren't visible. Availability of shade/shelters, drinking water, ORS packets, etc., at bus and auto stands and construction sites has been partly achieved. The plan to reschedule the working hours of outdoor workers to avoid peak heat hasn't been put into practice yet. Also the use of school premises as daytime shelters to help the outdoor workers and the homeless avoid heat is yet to be implemented. Also unmet are the measures announced to protect stray animals, cattle and poultry birds from the blazing sun. However, experts said sheds and drinking water for cattle and poultry in villages and at important junctions are still to be operationalised. The heat action plan had also proposed establishing cooling facilities in areas with high population density, particularly near pavements and informal settlements. Govt officials claimed to have circulated the heat action plan, which lists roles and responsibilities of agencies and individuals, to all departments involved. "Delhi Disaster Management Authority disseminated weather forecasts and advisories regularly and also communicated heat advisories to hawkers' associations, vendors and gig workers," said one official. "Apart from issuing two circulars on how to prevent heat-related illnesses, the education department conducted training for teachers from govt and govt-aided schools. Delhi Fire Service procured 33 additional water bowsers, each of capacity 12,000 litres, to use during the summer, while DUSIB directed all shelter management agencies to ensure drinking water, coolers and fans in all shelters. All hospitals reported adequate quantities of essential medicines." The official added that water machines had been installed in Delhi Secretariat and at Nehru Place and five others would be placed soon. "A study on five prototypes of cool roof solutions in three slum settlements is under way. Five parks, among them Nehru Park, Lodhi Garden and Sanjay Van, have been designated to absorb more carbon dioxide," the official added. Avinash Chanchal, deputy programme director, Greenpeace South Asia, said that though the people of Delhi were once again facing a brutal summer, govt's response hadn't changed much. "Govt made many promises, but action on the ground remains invisible. It was encouraging to see Delhi govt announce a heat action plan in April, but that plan is only meaningful if it's implemented," said Chanchal. "The promise of 3,000 water ATMs has not materialised, hospitals are unprepared and communities, especially outdoor workers and other vulnerable populations, have been left to cope on their own. No voice or text alerts have been issued to warn the public about heatwaves." Chanchal added that the current plan lacked a dedicated budget and legal binding. "Delhi govt must recognise heat as a state disaster, just as a few other states have done, and roll out a robust, well-funded and accountable plan without delay," he said. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said the 2025 heat action plan outlined several short-term and long-term energy efficiency and cooling strategies. "But these require a time-bound implementation plan with clear milestones and targets for each municipal ward for it to be monitorable. Delhi requires much stronger on-ground preparedness and preventive measures to reduce health risks during heat episodes like the one the city is experiencing right now," she said. She added, "The roadmap needs to detail the infrastructure-level interventions to achieve cooler buildings, expanded forests/green areas and water bodies, shading of public spaces and commuting corridors, reduction in waste heat from combustion sources, and thermal comfort for all, especially different categories of low-income groups. Heat management requires actionable targets with a strong monitoring and compliance strategy."

Evolution of Environmental Agendas

On 5th June, the world celebrated the Environment Day. The actions by nations and the global community towards the conservation of nature show the collective concern for the planet. However, the steps taken in this direction are far from adequate. The frequency and intensity of adverse natural calamities is increasing rapidly across the globe. This calls for greater reverence towards the bounties of nature. India has regarded the rivers, trees mountains and air as sacred. Primitive people of diverse cultures across the world hold the gifts of nature as valuable and pray for their survival. Vedic culture presents deep respect for Nature. Our ancient scriptures propagate a healthy and balanced attitude towards the environment. The human race has to coexist with the flora and fauna. The oceans, rivers, mountains, forests and wetlands along with all-natural water bodies and human habitations must thrive. Natural ecosystems have been traumatised due to activities like mining, deforestation, dam construction etc. The entire physical systems survive and sustain themselves based on their internal rhythms. They draw sustenance from the energy of the sun, air, water and Earth. There is a cost to the physical environment during the process of economic development. These externalities are traditionally not accounted for in the economic costs associated with production activities. India is introducing Green Accounting to internalise the costs borne by nature. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and environmental clearances are mandatory to undertake projects that harm the natural ecology. On grounds of socioeconomic considerations or security threats in Naxal-infested regions, environmental clearances may be given expeditiously. Since this is a relatively new area of accounting, clarity is lacking on how environmental impact assessments are processed and given. There are several instances of projects being cleared without due environmental impact assessment approval. The Western Ghats are a sensitive region where the construction of dams and other projects need careful environmental scrutiny. Often, due to vested interests involved, engineering projects have been completed without adequate environmental approvals. As a consequence, there have been several instances of severe flooding along the western coast. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is a Delhi-based non-governmental organisation working actively towards the conservation of planet Earth. They have released a report titled E- Report on State of India’s Environment in Figures 2025 on the occasion of World Environment Day. This report ranks the states and Union territories in India according to several environmental parameters based on government data. While gaps in data exist, the findings of the report are useful. Policymaking depends on reliable and recent data. Planning for environmental conservation also draws upon relevant statistics. According to the figures in this report, Andhra Pradesh is at the top in forest, biodiversity and climate action areas. There are challenges in sewage treatment and pollution of rivers in Andhra Pradesh. Sikkim has the top rank in environmental conservation in agriculture. In Public health and environmental conservation, Goa is assigned the best rank among states, and Chandigarh among the Union territories. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) under the auspices of the UN is working towards policies to reduce human induced greenhouse gases. The Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) meets annually to draw up climate action plans. The last COP 29 at Baku agreed on a compliance mechanism to regulate emissions. A system of carbon credits has been agreed to reward those who contribute less than the target emissions and penalise those who contribute more. Carbon markets facilitate the buying and selling of carbon credits. India had introduced carbon markets in 2023 and now the compliance mechanism will become operational from 2026 formally. The other issue discussed at COP 29 was climate finance. The developed countries have not guaranteed climate finance in line with the requirements of the developing countries. This matter will be further taken up at Belem COP 30 this year. Anti-climate political lobbies are causing strain on the climate action plans. Unfortunately, the geopolitics of the present times is quite unfavourable to the global climate agenda. The focus on plastic pollution on this 5th June Environment Day is well placed. In 2022, the United Nations recommended a ban on single-use plastic. Nations are required to innovate with eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic. UNEP (United nations Environmental Programme) and Ellen Macarthur Foundation have launched a joint programme called the "New Plastics Economy Global Commitment,” to create a circular economy in plastics. India is also sensitive to plastic pollution. It imposed a ban on single-use plastic. Further, India has introduced the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principle to make the manufacturers accountable for the control of consumer waste. With a lifecycle approach, plastic credits are an optional compliance technique under EPR. The opportunities are being created for setting up recycling facilities and promoting eco-friendly waste disposal techniques. Technology has been used by many startup enterprises to manufacture biodegradable plastics that return to nature within two years. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has set out specific norms for plastics that are permitted. The CPCB has created a Centralized EPR Portal for Plastic Packaging where producers, importers and brand owners can purchase plastic waste recycling certificates from approved exporters. Plastic credits are a reflection of the balance between environmental responsibility and economic growth. These are laudable efforts towards sustainable development. India is committed to sustainable development and has a goal of net zero emissions by 2070. This conforms to the United Nations climate change agenda. Circularity principle should be incorporated in all input-output production cycles. The producers have a responsibility for the entire life cycle of the products they introduce into the market, including waste management after consumption. While rules exist for circular economy principles, they are not followed. The success of EPR in plastic waste management is low. The roadmap has been formulated for improved business practices towards environmental conservation though the goals are unmet. In transportation, railways are much cleaner than road transport with 90 percent less carbon dioxide emissions than trucks. Indian railways are expected to achieve net zero before 2030. This augurs well for the future of India’s goals along the green path. Over consumption and extreme selfishness is destroying the planet. Prime Minster Modi has proposed Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) as a global mission to encourage environment friendly life styles. We need to restore respect for mother nature. Otherwise, the human race is doomed. The World Environment Day reminds us that collective and individual action is needed to save and nurture the environment.

Troubling climate, health and development indicators

India is facing a mounting crisis on multiple environmental and development fronts. This is the warning that the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has sounded as a sobering alarm. The think tank’s annual “State of India’s Environment in Figures 2025” report, released in the capital on June 4, 2025, offered a stark data-led portrait of a nation grappling with extreme weather, declining public health, stalled infrastructure and deepening economic strain, according to a DTE press release. Using 48 indicators across four thematic areas, environment, agriculture, public health and human development, the report ranked all 36 states and union territories. The year 2024 was recorded as India’s hottest year, with 25 states witnessing extreme and erratic rainfall. Alarmingly, as an analysis of the report by ClimateFactChecks states on its website, extreme weather events were reported on nearly 88% of the calendar days in the year. This climatic volatility displaced 5.4 million people within the country — the highest number of internal displacements due to climate disasters since 2013. Assam alone accounted for nearly half of these displacements, highlighting the vulnerability of northeastern regions to flooding and riverine erosion.