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Delhi air quality worsens in 2024 despite decline in stubble burning: CSE report

The Centre for Science and Environment(CSE) has released a report on Delhi’s air quality, and the findings are alarming. Despite a reduction in stubble burning in neighbouring states, Delhi’s air pollution levels have risen for the second consecutive year in 2024. This trend, according to experts, reflects a deepening crisis and the need for more action. The report highlights a consistent increase in Delhi’s annual PM2.5 levels, a key air pollution indicator. In 2024, the PM2.5 concentration rose to 104.7 µg/m³, a 3.4% increase from 2023, the analysis report titled 2024: Delhi at risk of losing its long term air quality gains noted. This is over double the national safe standard of 40 µg/m³ and marks a reversal of improvements seen between 2018 and 2022. “This cannot be dismissed as a weather aberration,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, CSE. “The consistent rise points to growing pollution from local and regional sources like vehicles, industries, and construction dust.” Delhi’s winter air quality remains a concern Average PM2.5 levels from October to December 2024 were 178.3 µg/m³, a 4.6% increase compared to the 2021-2023 winter average. Peak pollution levels surged, with a city-wide high of 732 µg/m³—26% higher than the previous year. The city had 17 days of severe air quality and two smog episodes: one lasted eight days in November and the other four days in December, with average intensities of 371 µg/m³ and 324 µg/m³. Farm fires, historically significant to Delhi’s winter pollution, sharply declined in 2024. According to NASA data showed a 71.2% reduction in fire counts during October to December compared to the previous year. Punjab reported a 75% drop, while Haryana saw a 37% decrease. Despite this improvement, Delhi’s air quality gains were offset by emissions from other sources. “Delhi can no longer blame stubble burning for its winter pollution,” said Sharanjeet Kaur, Programme Officer with CSE’s Urban Lab. “Local emissions from vehicles, industries, and construction dust are now the primary culprits.” The analysis revealed troubling trends in "good" and "bad" air quality days. Delhi saw a slight increase in good air days annually—from 25 in 2023 to 29 in 2024—but no good air days in winter. Instead, very poor or severe air quality days rose from 107 in 2023 to 111 in 2024. The report noted stark differences in pollution levels across Delhi’s 37 air quality monitoring stations. While areas like DTU and NSIT Dwarka improved by up to 26%, others, like CRRI Mathura Road and Aya Nagar, saw increases of 22% and 17%. The seasonal averages ranged from 97 µg/m³ at DTU to 226 µg/m³ at Wazirpur, with Anand Vihar as one of the most polluted locations. CSE experts stressed the urgent need for systemic changes to address the city’s year-round pollution. They emphasized that reactive emergency measures during winter are insufficient. Comprehensive strategies are needed to target emissions from vehicles, industries, construction, open fires, and household solid fuels. “Annual pollution levels have risen despite a significant reduction in stubble burning, highlighting the need for deeper reforms,” said Roychowdhury. “Delhi must implement stronger measures to address action gaps and ensure compliance across all sectors.” The report calls for a detailed roadmap outlining the pollution problem scale in each sector, specific emissions reduction targets, and required resources. Without swift and coordinated action, Delhi risks losing its air quality gains from the past decade.

Delhi Pollution: लगातार दूसरे वर्ष बढ़ा दिल्ली में प्रदूषण, सीएसई की सालाना वायु गुणवत्ता रिपोर्ट में खुलासा

राष्ट्रीय राजधानी का औसत वायु प्रदूषण लगातार दूसरे साल बढ़ गया। वर्ष 2024 में वार्षिक पीएम 2.5 की सांद्रता बढ़कर 104.7 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर रही, जो 2023 के स्तर से 3.4% अधिक और राष्ट्रीय औसत से दोगुना है। वह भी तब, जबकि पंजाब, हरियाणा व दिल्ली में पराली जलाने की घटनाएं 37.5% कम हो गईं। थिंक टैंक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की 2024 की रिपोर्ट में दिल्ली की हवा में पार्टिकुलेट मैटर 2.5 (पीएम 2.5) के स्तर के वार्षिक रुझानों के विश्लेषण में यह निराशाजनक खुलासा हुआ। हालांकि 2024 का औसत अब भी 2018 के शिखर 115.8 माइक्रोग्राम/घन मीटर से 9.6% कम है, लेकिन यह 2021-2023 के तीन साल के औसत से 3 फीसदी अधिक है। सीएसई की अनुसंधान कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी के मुताबिक, पीएम2.5 में वृद्धि बढ़ते प्रदूषण का प्रभाव है। इससे निपटने के लिए तत्काल रणनीति बनाने की जरूरत है। पंजाब में 75, हरियाणा में 37 फीसदी कम जली पराली सीएसई रिपोर्ट में राहत की खबर यह है कि पिछले वर्ष पराली जलाने की घटनाओं में पंजाब में 75 फीसदी और हरियाणा में 37 फीसदी की गिरावट दर्ज की गई।

दिल्ली में लगातार दूसरे साल पीएम2.5 के स्तर में वृद्धि : रिपोर्ट

नयी दिल्ली, छह जनवरी (भाषा) पंजाब, हरियाणा और राष्ट्रीय राजधानी में पराली जलाने की घटनाओं में 37 प्रतिशत की गिरावट के बावजूद, दिल्ली का वार्षिक पीएम 2.5 स्तर 2024 में लगातार दूसरे साल बढ़ा। एक नयी रिपोर्ट में यह दावा किया गया है। थिंक टैंक ‘सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट’ (सीएसई) की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक दिल्ली की वार्षिक पीएम 2.5 सांद्रता 2024 में बढ़कर 104.7 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति क्यूबिक मीटर हो गई जो 2023 के स्तर से 3.4 प्रतिशत अधिक है। यह राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर वायु गुणवत्ता मानक 40 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति क्यूबिक मीटर से भी दोगुना है। इसमें कहा गया कि 2024 का औसत अभी भी 2018 में दर्ज सबसे अधिक 115.8 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर से 9.6 प्रतिशत कम है, लेकिन यह 2021-2023 के तीन साल के औसत से तीन प्रतिशत अधिक है, जो 2018 और 2022 के बीच मिली सफलता के निष्प्रभावी होने का संकेत देता है। रिपोर्ट में कहा गया कि दिल्ली, पंजाब और हरियाणा में 2024 में पराली जलाने की कुल वार्षिक घटनाओं में 37.5 प्रतिशत की गिरावट आई है। पराली जलाने के मामलों में पंजाब में 75 प्रतिशत और हरियाणा में 37 प्रतिशत की गिरावट दर्ज की गई। सीएसई में ‘रिसर्च एंड एडवोकेसी’ की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने कहा कि पीएम 2.5 के स्तर में वृद्धि को मौसम संबंधी कारकों के कारण होने वाली वार्षिक असामान्यता के रूप में नहीं देखा जा सकता तथा इसमें लगातार वृद्धि क्षेत्र में बढ़ते प्रदूषण को दर्शाती है। उन्होंने कहा, ‘‘ऐसा प्रतीत होता है कि दिल्ली ने वायु गुणवत्ता में सुधार के लिए पूर्व में किये गए प्रयासों से मिली सफलता को निष्फल कर दिया है। वाहन, उद्योग, खुले में कूड़ा जलाना, ठोस ईंधन का उपयोग, निर्माण और धूल के स्रोतों सहित प्रदूषण के स्थानीय और क्षेत्रीय स्रोतों ने पिछले दशक में हुई दीर्घकालिक प्रगति को कमतर कर दिया है।’’ रॉयचौधरी ने कहा, ‘‘दिल्ली अब पराली जलाने की आड़ नहीं ले सकती। अक्टूबर-दिसंबर 2024 के दौरान पराली जलाने की घटनाओं में 71.2 प्रतिशत की गिरावट के बावजूद, सर्दियों में प्रदूषण उच्च स्तर पर बना हुआ है, जिससे वार्षिक प्रवृत्ति असंतुलित हो गई है।’’ सीएसई की शहरी प्रयोगशाला की कार्यक्रम अधिकारी शरणजीत कौर के अनुसार, सर्दियों की अवधि (1 अक्टूबर-31 दिसंबर) के लिए दिल्ली के निगरानी केंद्रों से प्राप्त वास्तविक समय के आंकड़ों से पता चलता है कि सर्दियों के शुरुआती चरण के दौरान पिछले वर्ष की तुलना में प्रदूषण के चरम स्तर में 26 प्रतिशत की चिंताजनक वृद्धि हुई है। उन्होंने कहा कि शहर में 17 दिन तक वायु गुणवत्ता गंभीर या अति गंभीर श्रेणी में दर्ज की गयी। साथ ही दो दिनों तक धुंध की स्थिति भी रही, जिसमें औसत धुंध क्रमशः 371 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर और 324 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर थी।

PM2.5 pollution up in Delhi for second year on trot: Report

Delhi's annual PM2.5 levels rose in 2024 for the second consecutive year, despite a 37 per cent drop in stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and the national capital, according to a new report. The report by think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said Delhi's annual PM2.5 concentration increased to 104.7 microgrammes per cubic metre in 2024 -- a 3.4 per cent rise from the 2023 levels. This is also more than twice the national ambient air quality standard of 40 microgrammes per cubic metre. While the 2024 average is still 9.6 per cent lower than the 2018 peak of 115.8 microgrammes per cubic metre, it is 3 per cent higher than the three-year average of 2021-2023, indicating a gradual reversal of earlier gains made between 2018 and 2022, it said. The report highlighted that the total annual fire counts (on account of stubble burning) dropped by 37.5 per cent in 2024 in Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana. Punjab recorded a 75 per cent decline, and Haryana, a 37 per cent decline. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE, said the rise in PM2.5 levels cannot be seen as an annual aberration due to meteorological factors and consistent rise indicates the impact of growing pollution in the region. "Delhi seems to be losing its air quality gains from past action. Local and regional sources of pollution including vehicles, industries, open burning of waste, use of solid fuels, construction and dust sources have offset the gains -- undermining the longer-term progress over the past decade. "Delhi cannot hide behind the smoke screen of farm fires anymore. Despite a 71.2 per cent drop in stubble fire incidents during the October-December 2024, the winter pollution has remained elevated, upsetting the annual trend," she said. According to Sharanjeet Kaur, programme officer with CSE's Urban Lab, real-time data from Delhi's monitoring stations for the winter period (October 1-December 31) reveals a troubling 26 per cent surge in peak pollution levels compared to the previous year during the early phase of winter. The city experienced 17 days of severe or worse air quality, alongside two extended smog episodes with average smog intensity of 371 microgrammes per cubic metre and 324 microgrammes per cubic metre, respectively. This has kept the average levels elevated, Kaur said. Delhi recorded two major smog episodes this winter: from November 13-20 (about eight days) and from December 16-20 (about four days). The average daily intensity of this smog stood at 371 microgrammes per cubic metre and 324 microgrammes per cubic metre, respectively. At least three continuous days of severe AQI is considered a smog episode.

A divided EU gives India a window to pitch for carbon tax relief

Differences within the European Union over the looming carbon border tax has given India an opportunity to pitch for some relief from its onerous requirements that are expected to hurt exports to one of the country’s largest trading partners. As the EU prepares to implement the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in 2026, internal disagreements from Poland, Germany, and France, besides other Eastern European countries, have surfaced. India plans to capitalize on these divisions to demand tweaks in the norms while raising the issue at the World Trade Organization’s 14th Ministerial Conference in March, two people aware of the matter said on condition of anonymity. "There has been a growing demand for tweaking the norms from some member states,” the first of the two people said. “Though we have been raising concerns about this right from the inception stage, we will push our demand at the WTO and other platforms. The norms are very anti-competitive." Besides, in the upcoming free-trade agreement (FTA) talks with the bloc, India will seek easier norms to protect the economic interests of local businesses, the two people said. The key demands include protecting the commercial confidentiality of exporters' data, especially for small businesses—or the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) —and easing CBAM's complex compliance requirements. Queries emailed to the commerce ministry remained unanswered till press time. CBAM's potential impact The CBAM, part of the European Green Deal to curb greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, imposes a carbon price on imports of certain products from outside the bloc to prevent carbon leakage. That would impose financial and operational burden, increasing costs for industries in developing economies, especially in India. The mechanism is expected to impose an additional 25% tax on carbon-intensive goods exported from India to the EU, according to a July report by the Centre for Science and Environment. This tax burden could represent 0.05% of India's GDP. "If the CBAM comes into force in its current form and shape, it will result in higher costs," the first person quoted earlier said.

Would’ve been pleased with tributes in his own quiet way.’ Family, peers remember Manmohan Singh

It is no secret that towards the end of his tenure, when allegations of corruption buffeted the UPA government, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was a disheartened man. His words, while addressing a press conference in January 2014, that “history will be kinder to me than the contemporary media, or for that matter, the Opposition parties in Parliament” betrayed, in a sense, deep personal anguish. The outpouring of tributes, following his death on 26 December, 2024, have to a considerable degree validated the sentiment that he had then expressed, uncharacteristic for a man known for his fabled reticence. Singh’s family, also intensely private, seems to agree as well. On Saturday, addressing a small gathering held at New Delhi’s India Habitat Centre to celebrate the former PM’s life and remarkable career, his daughter Daman Singh said he would have not just been astonished with the tributes, but “would have been pleased in his own quiet way”. Curated by Singh’s three daughters—Upinder, Daman and Amrit—and their children and spouses, the remembrance event, away from the glare of television cameras, was understated and warm, qualities that defined Singh as a person. “Never blow your own trumpet, he would tell us,” Upinder Singh, an accomplished historian, said in her brief speech. The dais was bare save a garlanded portrait of Singh, and a white screen in which the family exhibited a short film that had Singh’s colleagues and family friends—from Professor Jagdish Bhagwati to the late Isher Judge Ahluwalia—recounting their impressions of Singh as a person and a professional. Apart from Singh’s wife Gursharan Kaur, family members and friends, those in attendance included his Cabinet colleagues P. Chidambaram and Kapil Sibal; members of his core team as PM including former NSA Shivshankar Menon, former deputy chairperson of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former foreign secretary Shyam Saran; former Planning Commission member Syeda Hameed, Centre for Science and Environment chief Sunita Narain, lyricist Javed Akhtar, Bharti Enterprises chairperson Sunil Mittal and physician K. Srinath Reddy. Many including Professor Amartya Sen, Professor Bhagwati, Infosys chairperson emeritus N.R. Narayana Murthy, British journalist Martin Wolf, historian Rudrangshu Mukherjee, human rights advocate Sanjoy Hazarika offered their tributes to Singh via video messages. If one were to distill the evening’s eulogies, apart from his towering contributions in public life as finance minister and the PM of two consecutive terms, what emerged were anecdotes that shed light on the personal and humane aspects that shaped Singh as a person. Recalling his love for shayari (poetry), Akhtar, who flew down from Mumbai for the memorial, said had Singh not been an economist or a politician, he would have been a poet. Akhtar also appeared to take an oblique jibe at the present dispensation, pointing out how Singh, derided as “Maun (silence) Mohan Singh” by his political detractors, actually addressed the press numerous times as the PM.

Delhi's year-long problem that’s growing: All major pollutants spiked in 2024

NEW DELHI: All major pollutants, including PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone, recorded an increase in their annual average in 2024 compared to the previous year, shows an analysis of data. Average annual PM2.5 concentrations, which gradually declined between 2017 and 2022, rose in 2023 to 101 micrograms per cubic metre. In 2024 it was 104 micrograms per cubic metre. The average annual PM2.5 levels in 2024 were 2.6 times the annual national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for PM2.5 and 20.8 times the WHO's annual safe guideline. Last year, Nov was the most polluted month, with average PM2.5 level of 250 micrograms per cubic metre. The average ground-level ozone concentration rose to 34 micrograms per cubic metre in 2024 The annual average PM10 levels increased from 207 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 to 211 micrograms per cubic metre in 2024. The concentration last year was 3.5 times the national standard and 14 times the WHO's safe limit. In 2024, Nov witnessed the highest PM10 concentration at 395 micrograms per cubic metre, followed by Jan at 329 micrograms per cubic metre. A similar trend was observed for NO2, as 2024 recorded the highest annual average in the past five years. Average annual NO2 increased to 43 micrograms per cubic metre in 2024, compared to 38 in 2020, 40 in 2021, 38 in 2022, and 34 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023. The national annual standard is 40 micrograms per cubic metre, and the WHO's annual guideline is 10 micrograms per cubic metre. The monthly average in Dec 2024 for NO2 was 63 micrograms per cubic metre. The average ground-level ozone concentration rose to 34 micrograms per cubic metre in 2024, as opposed to 27 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023. However, the NAAQS for an eight-hour average is 100 micrograms per cubic metre, and the WHO's guideline for the peak season is 60 micrograms per cubic metre. Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at the think tank Envirocatalysts, said year-round high levels of all major pollutants, including during the monsoon, are deeply concerning. "Not just because they exceed the NAAQS and the WHO guidelines, but also because there has been no significant reduction since 2017, the base year for the National Clean Air Programme, which aimed for a 40% reduction in particulate matter levels by 2026. A complete transformation in air pollution regulation and enforcement is urgently needed, focusing on absolute emission load reduction across all polluting sectors within Delhi-NCR and the broader air-shed," said Dahiya. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director for research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said air pollution is now a multi-pollutant crisis increasing the health risk. "The increase in the levels of gases is indicative of rising emissions from vehicles, industry, waste burning and other combustion sources. These gases are not only harmful in themselves but also contribute towards the formation of secondary particles in the air that can be 25% of PM2.5 concentration during winter. The clean air programme must target PM2.5, NO2, and ozone together, instead of only PM10 (that is coarse dust), to meet the clean air benchmarks," she said. Dipankar Saha, former head of Central Pollution Control Board's air laboratory, said the control of local area pollution is a long-term programme, thus immediate response may not be possible all the time. "It will take some time when the infrastructures for control of emissions from municipal waste, construction and other waste management and road management are in place," said Saha.

The Who's Who of Climate Activism: How Indians Are Leading the Wave of Change

Climate change is a global challenge that affects everyone and India is no exception. With the rising frequency and intensity of climate-related extreme weather events, developing countries like India are facing increasing pressures to focus on climate mitigation and adaptation. While the government plays a significant role in addressing these issues, climate activists across India have been instrumental in championing the cause and pushing for action. One of India’s earliest environmental movements, the Chipko Movement, set the stage for grassroots activism. In 1964, Gandhian activist Chandi Prasad Bhatt founded the Dasholi Gram Swarajya Mandal (DGSM) to promote small-scale rural industries using local resources. After severe floods in 1970 linked to industrial logging, DGSM raised concerns over large-scale logging. The first Chipko protest took place in 1973 in Mandal in modern-day Uttarakhand (then part of Uttar Pradesh). Here, the villagers, led by Bhatt, hugged trees to stop logging after the government prioritised a sporting goods manufacturer over local needs. The Chipko Movement's success inspired a chain of similar protests and movements in the region. In 1974, women in Reni situated in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, led by Gaura Devi, confronted loggers and forced them to leave, ultimately leading to a 10-year logging ban on commercial logging in the area. Named after the Hindi word chipko (meaning “hug”), the movement was a non-violent protest against large-scale destruction of forests for commercial use. It not only protected local forests but also inspired a generation of environmental activism in India, emphasising on the importance of commercial logging in the area. Today, the legacy of such movements continues through the efforts of modern climate activists who work tirelessly to raise awareness on climate change and mobilise action to help mitigate and adapt to its consequences. From organising community-level initiatives to advocating for policy changes, these activists seek to advance India's sustainable future. Their work highlights the importance of preserving the environment so that future generations can inherit a healthier, more secure planet. Madhav Gadgil: A Tryst With Conservation Born on 24 May 1942, veteran Indian ecologist Madhav Gadgil has dedicated his career to community-driven conservation. His groundbreaking work includes the creation of India’s first biosphere reserve, the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in 1986, which is now the largest protected area in India. Gadgil’s research on the importance of preserving ecosystems for the benefit of marginalised communities has influenced key environmental policies. For his contributions, Gadgil has received global recognition, including the Champions of the Earth Award from the United Nations. Rajendra Singh: The Waterman of India Born on August 6, 1959, Rajendra Singh is a water conservationist and environmentalist from the Alwar district of Rajasthan. Dubbed as the "Waterman of India" for his contributions in the field of river rejuvenation, Rajendra Singh is credited for transforming the water landscape of Rajasthan through grassroots conservation efforts. His organisation, Tarun Bharat Sangh, has built over 14,000 water structures, reviving rivers and improving water security for thousands of villages. Singh’s work has earned him the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award and global recognition for his commitment to water ethics and sustainable development. Jadav Payeng: The Forest Man of India Jadav Payeng from Assam is famous for his extraordinary efforts aimed at greening the sandbar of the Brahmaputra river. In 1979, Payeng began planting trees on a barren sandbar in the Majuli Island, which has since transformed into the lush Molai forest spread over 1,300 acres. His dedication to combating erosion and enhancing biodiversity has earned him the title of the "Forest Man of India" Payeng was also awarded the Padma Shri in 2015. Sumaira Abdulali: The Sand Mafia Warrior Sumaira Abdulali, born in May 1961, is an environmentalist from Mumbai. Abdulali has been advocating against illegal sand mining and noise pollution. Founder of the Awaaz Foundation, Abdulali brought global attention to the environmental impacts of sand mining through campaigns and public interest litigations. Her work has resulted in the first court order against illegal sand mining in India. She has contributed significantly to implement noise pollution regulations rules notified by the Central Pollution Control Board in Mumbai. Medha Patkar: Representing the Marginalised Born in Mumbai on December 1, 1954, Medha Patkar is best known for leading the Narmada Bachao Andolan, a movement protesting the construction of large dams on the Narmada River. Her efforts have highlighted the environmental and social consequences of forced displacement due to largescale development projects. Patkar's commitment to protect the rights of marginalised communities has earned her the Right Livelihood Award. Marimuthu Yoganathan: Protector of Western Ghats Marimuthu Yoganathan from Tamil Nadu is a humble bus conductor for the state's transportation corporation. Dubbed as the "Tree Man of India", Yoganathan is known for his quiet revolution of reportedly planting more than 3,00,000 trees across various districts of Tamil Nadu. Yoganathan's sustained efforts towards environmental conservation have been lauded for representing the average citizen's passion for climate activism in India. Apart from the mega greening drive in his state, Yoganathan is also credited for raising voice against illegal logging and spreading awareness about conservation among the youth. Kinkri Devi: The Warrior of Sirmaur Kinkri Devi (1925–2007) from Himachal Pradesh became a symbol of resilience when she was raising her voice against the harmful effects of limestone quarrying in Sirmaur. In 1987, Devi started a public interest litigation and a 19-day-long hunger strike, which resulted in a ban on mining activities. Her tireless work earned her national recognition, including an invitation to the International Women’s Conference in Beijing in 1995. Jamuna Tudu: The 'Lady Tarzan' Jamuna Tudu was born on December 19, 1980, in Mayurbhanj, Odisha. She was affectionately called the "Lady Tarzan" for her fierce commitment to protecting the forests of Jharkhand from illegal logging. Through the Van Suraksha Samiti, she rallied thousands of villagers to protect nearly 50 hectares of forest land. Tudu’s leadership has made her a beacon of hope for grassroots environmental activism, inspiring several others in her region to join the fight to protect forests. Archana Soreng: Indigenous Voices A member of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change, Archana Soreng is a member of Khadia Tribe in Odisha. Born in 1995 in Bihabandh village, Soreng is one of the leading representatives of indigenous communities in the country, batting for their inclusion in climate policy. Soreng has worked extensively on preserving traditional knowledge and raising awareness about the impacts of climate change on indigenous populations. Sunita Narain: Leading the Sustainable Agenda Born in 1961, Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), has played a pivotal role in shaping India's environmental policy, especially in the areas of air pollution, water management and industrial waste. Under Narain's leadership, CSE was awarded the Stockholm Water Prize in 2005. A veteran in climate activism, she has been instrumental in framing policies that balance economic development with ecological sustainability. Narain was also listed as one of the most influential people by the Time magazine in 2016. The work of these environmental champions highlights the power of community-led action in tackling climate change for a sustainable future. As India marches ahead towards its net-zero ambitions, such leadership initiatives along with a strong network of grassroots movements could serve as a beacon for hope for not just India but for the world.

Air pollution measures fail to address thermal power emissions

Air pollution in north India made headlines across the world when Air Quality Index (AQI) levels were recorded as over 1,500 a few weeks ago – unprecedented, experts said, even for a region that routinely ranks among the world’s most polluted. Though crop residue burning contributes to such seasonal peaks, there’s a steady combustion source that is many times more polluting: thermal power plants. Seasonal burning of the paddy crop residue coincides with lower temperatures and more stagnant winds, which causes a high level of pollutants to gather over the Indo Gangetic Plain over the winter. This curtain of smog is mostly made up of PM2.5 particles – very fine, toxic pollutants that are released on the combustion of fuels or burning of biomass. But pollution from thermal power plants is continuous, and responsible for a sizable pollution load annually. An analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) found that thermal power plants emit 10 times more kilotonnes of PM2.5 compared to crop residue burning, and over 200 times more kilotonnes of sulfur dioxide, another harmful pollutant. In the National Capital Region alone, thermal power plants emit 16 times more sulphur dioxide compared to stubble burning. “Despite the significant health and environmental impact of coal-fired power plant emissions, regulatory enforcement on these power plants remains far less stringent compared to the seasonal restrictions and penalties imposed on stubble burning,” the analysis says. Curbing emissions from thermal power plants involves installing flue gas desulfurisation (FGD) systems, which filter sulphur dioxide – a precursor to PM2.5. Despite scientific consensus on the efficacy of FGD technologies, as well as existing mandates on their installation, the government has sent out mixed signals on the implementation of FGD. On November 19, the Ministry of Power sought an extension on the installment of FGD in thermal power plants. Also in November, the NITI Aayog, the government’s foremost think tank, suggested thermal power plants could do away with FGD technologies altogether. “The biggest problem is that there’s a lack of understanding among stakeholders when it comes to the importance and enforcement of FGD,” said Shreya Verma, Programme Manager of industrial pollution at the Centre for Science and Environment. “Casting doubts over the need for FGD indicates to industry that they can continue to be lax with compliance.” The first deadline for compliance with FGD is December 31, 2024, for power plants within a 10-kilometre radius of Delhi NCR. However, out of the four power plants that fall in this category, only one has fully complied, while another has partially complied, CREA’s analysis shows. India’s sulphur dioxide emissions are rising Coal fired power plants account for around 47 per cent of India’s total electricity generation capacity, but are the source for over 70 per cent of India’s power demand. Even though the government is making strides in establishing renewable energy capacity, coal continues to meet a bulk of the country’s electricity and power needs. As the world’s third largest producer of coal, India is also among the top emitters of sulphur dioxide. In 2022, India emitted 16 per cent of the world’s sulphur dioxide, making it the world’s largest emitter of this gas. Sulphur dioxide emissions from thermal power plants have grown since 2019, according to satellite images analysed by CREA. Between June 2022 and May 2023, thermal power plants released approximately 4,327 kilotonnes of sulphur dioxide. In Delhi-NCR alone, sulphur dioxide emissions from thermal power plants were found to be 281 kilotonnes. Over the same period, burning 8.9 million tonnes of paddy straw in Punjab and Haryana resulted in 26.7 kilotonnes of particulate matter (PM2.5) and 17.8 kilotonnes of sulphur dioxide. Emissions from thermal power plants are “over 10 times and 240 times higher” than emissions from stubble burning, the analysis says. “The challenge is not confined to centrally run power plants. FGD installation is lagging in private and state-operated power plants, and it’s these plants that have the maximum reduction potential,” said Manoj Kumar, an analyst at CREA and lead author of the paper. The highest concentrations of sulphur dioxide were found in central and eastern states, which house a large number of thermal power plants – the Mahanadi basin (covering Chhattisgarh and Odisha), around Biswanathpur (Odisha), and Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar (Uttar Pradesh). Installing FGD in thermal power plants can reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide from 4,327 kilotonnes to 1,547 kilotonnes, according to CREA. “This amounts to an overall reduction of approximately 64 per cent, highlighting the tremendous potential impact of FGD technology on reducing air pollution from coal-fired power plants,” says the analysis. Compliance has been lax The scientific evidence that FGD technologies reduce sulphur dioxide emissions is largely uncontested. Removing sulphur dioxide emissions can prevent the formation of secondary particles. Once sulphur dioxide is released, it can oxidise in the air to form sulphate aerosols, which form PM2.5. In 2022, the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and the Central Electricity Authority found that FGD in 67 coal power plants could reduce surface sulphur dioxide concentrations by 55 per cent within a 60 to 80-kilometre radius, and reduce surface concentrations of sulfate aerosols by about 30 per cent, with reductions extending to 100 km from the emission source. Globally, India has indicated its support for technologies like FGD when it agreed to phase down unabated coal power (“unabated” refers to emissions without any reductions). But domestically, the installation of FGD technologies has been marred by delays in compliance and laxity in enforcement. Less than 1 per cent of funds in India’s clean air programmes are directed towards controlling emissions from thermal power plants and other industrial sources, for example. India introduced compliance norms for emissions from thermal power plants in 2015, first stipulating that all thermal power plants should install FGD and meet emission norms by December 2017. This deadline for FGD installation was then revised twice, on the instance of the Ministry of Power and Association of Power Producers, with staggered timelines introduced to facilitate installation. According to the latest notification, issued by the Ministry of Environment in 2022, power plants within a 10-kilometre radius of Delhi NCR or cities having a population of more than a million people are required to meet compliance norms by December 31, 2024. These are Category A plants. Category B plans, which are within a 10-kilometre radius of “critically polluted areas”, are required to comply by December 31, 2025, while the rest of the power plants in the country must comply by December 31, 2026. Missing these deadlines will make plants liable to pay Rs. 0.2 to Rs. 0.4 per unit of electricity generated, depending on the period of non-compliance. Installing FGD can take up to three years. Out of 600 thermal power plants, only 44 have installed FGD systems, while bids for installation have been awarded for another 233 units. In its letter on November 19, the Ministry of Power requested each category deadline be extended by 36 months, citing “major constraints” in timely compliance. “These constraints are primarily limited to limited domestic manufacturing capacity due to limited vendor base, dependence on imports, and a sudden growth in demand to meet the stipulated timelines,” says the letter, which Mongabay India has seen. Ashwini Chitnis, an energy specialist and Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress, says the reasons for seeking extensions have largely remained unchanged over the last ten years. “FGD is not a new technology. There’s a well-established global supply chain because installing it in the West and China is mandatory. We routinely import equipment for other aspects of the energy sector, such as say, for solar panels. More importantly, it is not as though any efforts are being made to install FGDs, and they are being delayed due to such constraints. So, repeatedly citing such vague reasons for missing deadlines is unacceptable”, she said.

How 1.4bn Indians are adapting to climate change

The flood waters were rising and Sukanya Ashin realised she had to get out of her house. Her husband tried to open the back door, but it was blocked by shifting mud. So they wrapped their two-year-old in a blanket and waded through the front doorway, as their wardrobe floated off and the houses around them started to slip down the hill. They found safety. But 17 of their neighbours died in the flood. Map: The Economist Adapting to climate change in India will be tough. The country is poorer and hotter than the global average, and crams 1.4bn people onto a land mass slightly larger than Argentina. In the first nine months of 2024 it suffered at least one “extreme weather event”, such as a flood or a cyclone, on more than 90% of days. July to October saw the highest recorded minimum temperatures since 1901. India is the most water-stressed country in Asia, says the World Resources Institute (WRI), an NGO (see map). Regardless of future global emissions of greenhouse gases, all these problems will get worse for years to come. Estimated spending on adaptation rose from 3.7% of GDP in 2015 to 5.6% in 2021, a huge sum that the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS), a research body, nonetheless calls “grossly inadequate”. And the obstacles to adaptation are not merely financial. India also needs political will and the spread of know-how, old and new. For Ms Ashin, adapting has meant moving. She lives in Wayanad, a mountainous district in Kerala. A landslide, caused by heavy rain, destroyed her village and her family’s eight-acre cardamom farm in 2019. Like all her surviving neighbours, she has upped sticks and started afresh. “People who used to own their own farms are now labouring on other people’s,” she says. The World Bank predicts that climate change will force 10m-40m people in South Asia to migrate within their countries by 2050. To avoid future tragedies, researchers in Wayanad are devising early-warning systems. Landslides are more common because extra heat causes more seawater to evaporate, making the monsoon more intense. Sometimes half a metre of rain is dumped on Wayanad’s slopes in a single day. At some point, the soil “can’t hold that much” and collapses downhill, says C.K. Vishnudas of the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology, another NGO. If a village is below, it can be smothered by a wall of mud and debris moving faster than the Indian speed limit. Another landslide in Wayanad in July 2024 killed hundreds. The Hume Centre has been gathering microdata about rainfall. It has laid a grid over the map of Wayanad’s landslide-prone areas and trained farmers in every square to operate rain gauges and upload measurements to a WhatsApp group. This lets boffins at Hume estimate how water-sodden and unstable each patch of mountainside has become, so that villagers can be told when to evacuate, and where to. Information is a tool to fight heat, too. No one knows how many people perished in the heatwaves of 2024, but 33 poll workers died in one day in one state during the country’s long election. The worst heatwaves in India will be three times as common if global warming is kept to 1.5°C, and five times if it hits 2°C, by one estimate. The problem is most acute in cities, where the poor squeeze tightly under tin roofs. Many run micro-businesses from home, frying snacks for sale or operating machines that generate yet more heat. Slums are much hotter than richer areas, which have more shade and open space. Temperatures in October in Dharavi, a Mumbai slum that squashes 1m people into 2.4 square kilometres, are five degrees higher than in Matunga, a posher suburb next door (see map). The effect of humid heat on outdoor workers costs India the equivalent of 7% of GDP each year, estimates Luke Parsons of Duke University. More than 100 Indian cities, districts and states have drawn up “heat action plans”, which involve planting trees, opening water kiosks in public spaces, issuing warnings and so on. Chandni Singh of IIHS and her co-authors assessed ten such plans and found them promising but inadequate. More radical change is needed, she argues, starting with heat-resilient building codes. Others call for a shift from concrete and glass to more naturally ventilated buildings with courtyards and fans. Of all the climate-aggravated threats to Indian livelihoods, water scarcity seems the most urgent. With 18% of the world’s population, India has only 4% of the world’s fresh water, and 17 of its 28 states suffer “high” or “extremely high” water stress, according to WRI. This is likely to grow worse around population centres such as Bangalore, India’s tech capital. Almost all Indian cities rely on costly engineering to bring in fresh water from distant sources that “will completely run out” if conservation does not improve, according to a new report from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a think-tank in Delhi. In March 2024 Bangalore came close to running out of water: half its 14,000 boreholes ran dry. It avoided disaster by penalising wastage, promoting recycling and paying for extra water to be trucked into poor neighbourhoods. But the problem is far from solved. Bangalore sits on a dry plateau 600m above and 100km away from the Cauvery river, its main water source. The liquid is pumped expensively uphill through leaky pipes to supply a population of 14m (up from 5.6m in 2000). In the rainy season ill-designed drains overflow, streets flood and water is wasted. During the dry season, the city’s thirst for river water leaves the surrounding countryside parched. By one estimate, only a third of the water Bangalore residents use is recycled. Efforts are being made to increase this. Under one scheme, urban wastewater is cleaned up—not to a level fit to drink, but enough to irrigate crops—and used to replenish depleted rural groundwater. Naveen Kumar, a pomegranate farmer, says he previously had to drill down 200m to find water, but now has to drill only a third as deep. He is relieved. But he still worries that the water could run out one day, so he has switched to drip irrigation. If all farmers were as prudent, less water would be wasted, but incentives are skewed. Farmers pay nothing for water beyond the cost of pumping it, and even that is subsidised. So the landowners closest to canals often grow water-guzzling crops like rice and leave little for the (often lower-caste) farmers farther away. Donors, from the World Bank to big Indian firms (which are required to give away 2% of their profits), are eager to fund water projects. Such schemes hook up more downstream farmers to irrigation ditches and persuade upstream farmers that they could make more money growing less thirsty crops, such as exotic vegetables. This requires testy negotiation, says Veena Srinivasan of Well Labs, another NGO. Farmers, in exchange for being connected to a water source, must sign contracts agreeing to plant less rice on their land. It also requires technology: Well Labs uses satellite mapping and AI to measure what works. Urban households underpay for water, too, but companies in Bangalore are charged much more, and large buildings have to treat their own wastewater. This creates a demand for water-management services, which the city’s busy cluster of tech firms is eager to satisfy. India is so big and decentralised that it will be hard to keep track of how well it adapts to climate change. The rich, inevitably, will cope better, since they can afford air-conditioning and homes on higher ground. But they have to breathe the same air as everyone else, so the fact that air pollution in cities like Delhi has grown unbearable could spur greener policies.

No ‘good’ days, but Gurgaon breathes easier as Dec sees cleanest air in six years

Gurgaon: This Dec, the city's air quality was the cleanest in six years, and the second cleanest since authorities started gathering data in 2016, but it's still in the ‘poor' category. Records by the Central Pollution Control Board (CBCB) show that average 24-hour air quality index (AQI) in Dec 2024 was 235, or ‘poor'. The last time that Dec air quality was better was in 2018, when the city's average AQI was 203. Average AQI for the month was 308 in 2016, 265 in 2017, 203 in 2018, 264 in 2019, 280 in 2020, 296 in 2021, 277 in 2022 and 260 in 2023. Though air pollution was lower this Dec, the month did not record any ‘good' air day — as has been the trend since 2016. Still, there were two ‘satisfactory' days — on Dec 28 and Dec 30 – because of winter rain. Experts told TOI on Tuesday that air quality was relatively better than the previous years because of brisk winds and delayed winter – both meteorological conditions that helped disperse pollutants from the atmosphere. "In Dec 2024, the average wind speed was 10 km per hour, which has not been the case in the previous years. Also, we are witnessing a delayed winter. These are meteorological respites. To ensure that air quality improves in the region, we need to focus on year-long contributors and local pollution sources as overall AQI is still ‘poor' or ‘very poor'," said Shubhansh Tiwari, research associate at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Experts also warned that temperatures were expected to fall, and air quality would likely worsen if other meteorological conditions aren't favourable to wash away pollutants. "Meteorological conditions were relatively favourable for the pollutants to disperse as day temperatures have been warmer than the morning and evening," Tiwari said. On Tuesday, Gurgaon's 24-hour average AQI deteriorated to 158 (‘moderate') from 80 (satisfactory') the day before. Asked about CPCB data, Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) officials said local sources of pollution such as vehicular emissions, open waste burning and road dust were concerning.

Construction work halted amid poor air quality in Mumbai

MUMBAI: In view of the haze enveloping Mumbai in recent days, civic authorities have halted all public and private construction work in Borivali East and Byculla, where air quality has been poor in recent times. Two other localities, Navy Nagar and Worli, are also under the civic scanner, and construction work here too will be suspended if the Air Quality Index (AQI) dips. Real estate developers are unhappy with the stop-work order issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), while environmental experts say the BMC’s action is welcome but not a long-term solution to Mumbai’s poor air quality. The AQI in Borivali East and Navy Nagar inched closer to ‘very poor’ levels through the month of December, while Byculla and Worli fluctuated between ‘moderate’ and ‘poor’ levels in the last six days. Particulate matter (PM 2.5) at these AQI monitoring stations peaked to very high levels at various times throughout the month. Air quality, however, has improved since. On Monday, Mumbai recorded an average AQI of 112, while Byculla recorded 112 and Borivali East 102 (all ‘moderate’). “Construction will be stopped in areas that see an AQI above 200, according to the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP- 4),” said municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani. “Of the 877 construction sites in the city, a stop-work notice has been sent to 286 construction sites. “We will follow up to make sure the notices are followed. If not, legal action will be taken,” added Gagrani. He clarified that road concretisation work would not be halted, except in Borivali East and Byculla, as it needs to be completed before the monsoon next year. Gagrani said developers would have to prove they have a dust-mitigation plan in place at their construction sites in order to resume work. He was referring to the 28-point guideline released by the BMC for developers, who need to devise an Environmental Management Plan (EMP), which includes covering under-construction projects in green cloth/jute and sheet-metal covers at least 25 feet high around the construction site, water sprinklers, a misting system, and a sensor-based monitoring system. He said long-term solutions in line with the Mumbai Air Pollution Mitigation Plan (MAPMP) would be implemented by the BMC, which includes shutting illegal bakeries, getting legal bakeries to switch to clean fuel, and purchasing electric BEST buses. Realtors, however, are not happy with the BMC’s directive. One developer pointed out that the dust generated by the many mega public projects underway across Mumbai contributes significantly to air pollution. “It is convenient for the BMC to blame the real estate industry and claim that we contribute 40% of the overall pollution in Mumbai, but what about public projects? How do they get environmental approvals so easily?” The developer also said the BMC should apprise the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority about the suspension in construction activity, so that builders would not be hauled up for extensions in project deadlines do to this action. Avinash Dhakne, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, member secretary, said, the AQI fluctuation is a result of local weather conditions and westerly disturbances. “Eventually the wind will blow away the air pollutants into the sea and AQI will fall to moderate levels. Along with various factors contributing to the AQI, natural weather conditions contributed to the haze and pollution.” Keval Valambhia, Chief Operating Officer, CREDAI-MCHI, said, “We are committed to following the directives issued. The real estate industry has always supported the cause to have a better environment. In fact, CREDAI-MCHI had issued an advisory on the same on October 11.” Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Centre for Science and Environment, said, “The implementation of short-term measures is only to prevent pollution from worsening to the extent that the wind will not be able to push it out. The overall AQI will only improve when year-round strong actions are taken towards sustainability.”

UP gets its first bio-CNG plant at Prayagraj; CNG bottles to be available at petrol pumps

Uttar Pradesh’s first bio-CNG plant will be inaugurated at Naini in Prayagraj on Tuesday by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. To become operational before the Mahakumbh, the plant will have the capacity to turn 200 tonnes of wet garbage to 21,500 kilograms of bio-CNG and 209 tonnes of organic manure. In the first phase, the plant will use 343 tonnes of waste. The remainder of the 143 tonnes will come from paddy straw and cow dung. The plant is part of the Prayagraj Renewable Natural Gas project and is estimated to earn a revenue of Rs 53 lakh annually. This is part of the government’s waste-to-wealth initiative. To be operated on a PPP model, the project has come up on 12.49 acres of land in the Arail area. The private partner is Enviro Resource Management Private Limited with which a contract for 25 years has been signed. The plant has been built at a cost of Rs 125 crore. A plant to make bottles with 5,10 and 15 kilograms capacity in which CNG can be sold is also to be set up. These bottles will be available at petrol pumps around the city. In addition, it will be given to industrial customers. The project will create employment for 200 people. Prayagraj generates about 600 tonnes of garbage every day. The state has an aim of setting up 100 biogas plants as part of its bioenergy policy of 2022. Among the encouragements that the policy offers are 100% exemption on stamp duty for the purchase of land and 100% reimbursement of state GST for 10 years. A report by the Centre for Science and Environment has said that UP has the highest potential for biomethane generation due to abundant organic feedstock availability. The state can produce almost one-fourth of the total biogas in the country. It has the capability to install 1,000 compressed biogas projects by harnessing just 20% of its surplus organic feedstock.

ETD || Need To Make Energy Transition & Access Affordable For Energy-Starved Countries

The Energy Transition Dialogues 2023 || Connecting the Final Frontier: Global Cooperation on Energy Access || Energy access for all is an important Sustainable Development Goal and is key to achieving the other SDGs. However, the pandemic and associated fiscal pressures on governments of the developing world have slowed progress on energy access. Geopolitics have also exacerbated problems in an already frail energy economy, causing market volatility, energy price inflation, and disruption to supply chains. These shocks on fuel, fertiliser, and food disproportionately impact countries of the Global South. How can countries in the developing world collaborate to expand access to affordable energy? What best practices in policy and regulatory design principles exist, and can they be adopted across geographies and tailored to meet the requirements of local communities? What types of training and technical support are necessary to effectively scale up and deploy renewable energy solutions in these regions, and are there success stories we can learn from? What strategies and mechanisms can be and are being deployed to encourage private-sector participation and investment in sub-regional and local energy infrastructure that reaches the last mile? In Conversation: Ahmed Mohamed Abdelhamid Mohina, Chief of the Strategic Planning Sector, Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Egypt Venu Nuguri, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hitachi Energy India & South Asia Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment, India Per Heggenes, Chief Executive Officer, IKEA Foundation, Sweden Isabelle Tschan, Deputy Resident Representative, United Nations Development Programme Moderator: Ashvin Dayal, Senior Vice President - Power & Climate, The Rockefeller Foundation, United States of America Closing Remarks: Sanjeev Krishan, Chairperson, PwC, India

Cyclone Remal to Wayanad landslides: Natural disasters that wreaked havoc in India in 2024

India witnessed the wrath of several natural disasters in 2024, which led to the loss of lives and properties. From deadly Cyclones to landslides due to heavy rainfall, extreme weather events were reported from across the country. A report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said that India faced extreme weather events reflecting climate change impact on 93% of the days—255 out of 274—in the first nine months of this year. This included days marked by heat and cold waves, cyclones, lightning, heavy rain, floods, and landslides that claimed 3,238 lives. Madhya Pradesh faced extreme weather on 176 of 274 days, the highest in the country. Kerala recorded the highest fatalities (550), followed by Madhya Pradesh (353) and Assam (256). Here we take a look at some of the major natural disasters India faced in 2024: Cyclone Remal In May, heavy rain and thunderstorms triggered by Cyclone Remal left over 35 people dead in the northeastern states of Mizoram, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya and West Bengal.