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India cuts back cheap gas for vehicles even as bad air chokes Delhi

India is cutting back its supply of cheap gas for vehicles as it struggles to cope with domestic production shortages, a move that could add to toxic air woes in major cities including New Delhi. Supply constraints have left retailers like Indraprastha Gas Ltd and Mahanagar Gas Ltd increasingly reliant on more expensive imports — or costly production from new Indian fields, which have proven more technically challenging. Both have begun to raise prices for compressed natural gas, or CNG, which powers cars, buses, taxis and rickshaws across India. New Delhi, one of the world’s most polluted cities, was pushed into CNG well over two decades ago after a Supreme Court ruling that demanded the conversion of all public buses to cope with worsening air quality. It later banned all non-CNG cabs in the capital region. While the fuel is not entirely “green,” it does emit fewer smog-related pollutants and has a slightly lower carbon footprint than conventional alternatives. Now, as the city lives through some of the most toxic smog days on record, proponents fear that consumers previously attracted by low running costs may begin to look more closely at the disadvantages, including long queues at filling stations and fewer models to choose from. “This may deter the adoption of CNG vehicles and could even lead to a shift back to diesel and petrol, undermining efforts to promote cleaner transportation options,” said Amit Bhatt, managing director for India at the International Council on Clean Transportation. CNG vehicles have proven popular with India’s price-sensitive consumers, surging more than 13-fold between 2019 and now. Sales of vehicles powered by diesel and gasoline have fallen by 20 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively, during that period, according to data compiled by the transport ministry. “We need differential pricing policy to incentivize cleaner fuels and disincentivize polluting fuels,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director at the Centre for Science and Environment. With its limited low-cost gas funneled to industrial use, India’s deliveries to retailers have been cut by as much as 40 per cent, according to exchange filings by the companies. That fuel, from older fields, is currently priced at $6.5 per million British thermal units — against about $10 for new local fields and $13 to $14 per mmbtu for imports. Mahanagar Gas has said it will explore options as it tries to ensure stability for its price-sensitive customers, but scarcity has already pushed prices for some areas up by more than 2 per cent this week. Further increases will be necessary to maintain margins, analysts say. India wants to increase the role of gas in the energy mix, and the government has announced plans to significantly increase the number of CNG stations across the country over the current decade from roughly 7,000 today, mostly in the north and west. That target may now be at risk. “The move also doesn’t gel with the government’s aim to almost triple the compressed natural gas station network in the country by 2030,” said Sabri Hazarika, analyst with Emkay Global Financial Services Ltd

Extreme weather claimed 3,200 lives in India in 2024: CSE

A report by the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) reveals that over 3,200 lives were lost and more than 230,000 houses destroyed in India during the first nine months of 2024 due to extreme weather events. The findings highlight the growing frequency and severity of floods, storms, heatwaves, and other climate-related disasters. India experienced extreme weather events on 93 pc of the days during the first nine months of 2024, underscoring the intensifying impact of climate change. The period was marked by a range of natural calamities, including heatwaves, cold waves, cyclones, lightning, heavy rains, floods and landslides, affecting almost every region of the country. These events caused widespread devastation, including the loss of thousands of lives, destruction of homes, and displacement of communities.

In Busan, India says it will not back ‘use’ of plastic alternatives

While India may have banned single-use plastic in 2022 and called for employing ‘sustainable’ alternatives, it has struck a contradictory note at the ongoing United Nations-led Global Plastic Treaty negotiations in Busan, South Korea. As part of formal submissions on Thursday, India said that while it “encourages the research, innovation, and development of sustainable alternatives and non-plastic substitutes,” it would rather not support the “use” of these products, technologies, and services. India has also pushed back against a suggestion by the Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) to “reduce the use of primary plastic polymers and associated chemicals of concern in plastic products.” Chemicals of concern are those used in making goods but which are associated with harm. ‘India will not be pushed’ While the reasoning behind India’s stance was not spelt out, these submissions are not cast in stone. Sources privy to negotiations told The Hindu that the word “use” smacked of irritation at being told what to do. While India’s national stand was against plastic waste and pollution and promoting alternate, sustainable materials, India would not allow itself to be “pushed into using” certain products or materials, they said. However, wording could change and depending on how the negotiations progressed, more conciliatory terms could be considered, these sources said. Single-use plastics are only a subset of the wide variety of plastics made from polymer and different grades of plastic lend themselves to varying degrees of recycling. In its multiple submissions on Thursday, India stressed that any final agreement on addressing plastic pollution should not contravene other multi-lateral agreements; should respect “national priorities, capabilities and priorities and right to development”; and “developing countries must get financial and technical assistance including technology transfer in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.” The latter is a principle derived from climate negotiations, where developed countries, which are counted as responsible for emitting the bulk of atmospheric carbon, are asked to pay up for minimising future global emissions. Plastic alternatives There is little clarity on whether sustainable alternatives to plastic exist. While India has, on paper, allowed the use of ‘biodegradable’ and ‘compostable’ plastic, lack of clarity on whether such plastic is actually degradable and whether compostable versions are being composted has hindered their widespread adoption. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has frequently worn — and spoken about the benefits of wearing — jackets made from recycled PET bottles. However, the adoption of plastic alternatives such as jute, cotton, cloth or newer synthetic alternatives is hindered by their cost, availability and the cumbersome nature of their use as packaging or containers, compared to the various grades of plastic. The problem of plastic waste is enormous in India. An investigation by the Centre for Science and Environment estimates that since 2022, nearly 24 million tonnes of plastic packaging have been introduced into India with a mechanical recycling capacity of only 9.8 million tonnes. Of the 15 million tonnes of plastic that are used in consumer products and become waste within a year, only about 20% is collected. While this is not a uniquely Indian problem, the inability to manage plastic waste after it is used as a product has led to calls, such as in the INC negotiations, to check the production of plastic itself. No consensus The INC-5 Chair, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, before the start of negotiations on Monday, presented a text, called a ‘non paper,’ that laid out a reference document containing 32 ‘Articles’ dealing with multiple dimensions of plastic waste, pollution, and curbing sources of production. While countries are largely on board with amplifying action on addressing plastic waste and waste management, there are disagreements among countries, particularly those where petro-chemicals and refining, or production of plastic are major industries, vital to livelihoods. This list includes China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and the United States. They see the cessation of plastic production as potentially disruptive, so there has been pushback, though this is nuanced and varies country by country. The net result is that despite four days of negotiations, nearly every sentence in the 18-page document put forth by Mr. Valdivieso is contested, with countries demanding their own modifications to every one of the ‘Articles,’ that is threatening to blow up an already bloated text. A streamlined consensus document, where everyone has agreed to every line, is necessary for the gestation of a legally-binding Global Plastics Treaty. Once this comes into being and countries sign on, it will pave the way for regular meetings by countries – like in the better known climate conferences – called the Conference of Parties that will then, year by year, push narratives and action toward eliminating plastic.

Shortages hobble India push for cleaner car fuel amid Delhi smog

India is cutting back its supply of cheap gas for vehicles as it struggles to cope with domestic production shortages, a move that could add to toxic air woes in major Supply constraints have left retailers like Indrapra Gas Ltd. increasingly reliant on more expensive im from new Indian elds, which have proven more te have begun to raise prices for compressed natural g buses, taxis and rickshaws across India. New Delhi, one of the world’s most polluted cities, was pushed into CNG well over two de ruling that demanded the conversion of all public buses to cope with worsening air qualit cabs in the capital region. While the fuel is not entirely “green,” it does emit fewer smog-re slightly lower carbon footprint than conventional alternatives Now, as the city lives through some of the most toxic smog days on record, proponents fea attracted by low running costs may begin to look more closely at the disadvantages, includ stations and fewer models to choose from. “This may deter the adoption of CNG vehicles and could even lead to a shift back to diesel to promote cleaner transportation options,” said Amit Bhatt, managing director for India Clean Transportation. CNG vehicles have proven popular with India’s price-sensitive consumers, surging more t now. Sales of vehicles powered by diesel and gasoline have fallen by 20% and 13%, respect according to data compiled by the transport ministry. “We need dierential pricing policy to incentivize cleaner fuels and disincentivize polluti Roychowdhury, executive director at the Centre for Science and Environment. With its limited low-cost gas funneled to industrial use, India’s deliveries to retailers have according to exchange lings by the companies. That fuel, from older elds, is currently pr thermal units — against about $10 for new local elds and $13 to $14 per mmbtu for impo Mahanagar Gas has said it will explore options as it tries to ensure stability for its price-se has already pushed prices for some areas up by more than 2% this week. Further increases margins, analysts say. India wants to increase the role of gas in the energy mix, and the government has announ increase the number of CNG stations across the country over the current decade from rou north and west. That target may now be at risk. “The move also doesn’t gel with the government’s aim to almost triple the compressed na country by 2030,” said Sabri Hazarika, analyst with India's Gas Production Hasn't Kept Pace With Demand | LNG imports are now rising to m The underlying problem is the paucity of India’s homegrown output, which has not kept p Daily gas production has risen only about 3% in the decade through March, while consum according to the oil ministry. That has been felt by consumers, with CNG prices in Delhi rising 73% since 2021. Gasoline increased by close to a fth, shrinking the price gap between gas and conventional fuels. “Lower prices have been working in our favor, despite long waiting times at fuel stations,” driver who was getting fuel for his car at a CNG outlet in New Delhi. “But if our costs jump

पराली जलाने का सीजन खत्म, दिल्ली में अब दिसंबर-जनवरी में सांसों के बनेंगे 'नए दुश्मन'

दिल्ली में पराली जलाने का असर अब खत्म हो गया है, लेकिन प्रदूषण की कहानी अभी बाकी है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) के एक अध्ययन से पता चला है कि पराली जलाने के मौसम में दिल्ली के PM2.5 प्रदूषण में इसका योगदान कम रहा। अक्टूबर-नवंबर में यह 14.5% था, जबकि दिसंबर-जनवरी में लगभग शून्य हो गया। लेकिन, स्थानीय और NCR के प्रदूषण स्रोतों का योगदान बढ़ गया। दिसंबर-जनवरी में ठंड, धुंध और कम हवा की गति के कारण प्रदूषण फंस जाता है। इससे दिल्ली की हवा 'बेहद खराब' और 'गंभीर' श्रेणी में रही। विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि क्षेत्रीय प्रदूषण और स्थानीय स्रोतों, जैसे वाहन, उद्योग और घरेलू ईंधन, पर ध्यान देना ज़रूरी है। दीर्घकालिक समाधान के लिए स्वच्छ ऊर्जा स्रोतों और प्रदूषण नियंत्रण तकनीक को अपनाना होगा। पराली खत्म पर समस्या नहीं गई दिल्ली में हवा की गुणवत्ता पर पराली जलाने के प्रभाव का मौसम अब समाप्त हो गया है। इस साल भी बायोमास जलाने से होने वाले प्रदूषण में कमी का रुझान जारी रहा। हालांकि,दिल्ली में प्रदूषण की समस्या अभी खत्म नहीं हुई है। दिसंबर और जनवरी में स्थानीय और क्षेत्रीय प्रदूषण स्रोतों का योगदान बढ़ जाता है। इस दौरान घनी धुंध, कम हवा की गति और ठंडे तापमान के कारण प्रदूषक हवा में फंस जाते हैं,जिससे प्रदूषण का स्तर बढ़ जाता है।

Nafithromycin: India Launches First Locally Developed Antibiotic

Wockhardt Ltd has developed Nafithromycin, the first domestically produced antibiotic targeting multi-drug-resistant bacteria. This antibiotic is aimed at treating community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) in adults, the launch was held on November 20, 2024, in New Delhi. The event was organized by the Department of Biotechnology and BIRAC. Dr. Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, was present. Global Health Impact Pneumonia caused by drug-resistant bacteria poses a serious global health threat, which accounts for over two million deaths annually. India has 23% of the world’s pneumonia cases. The country faces increasing resistance to existing antibiotics, such as azithromycin. Nafithromycin emerges as a new solution to combat this issue. Development Support BIRAC provided Rs 8 crore in support for the project. The total cost for clinical trials was Rs 500 crore. Trials were conducted in the United States, Europe, and India. This backing was crucial for the successful development of Nafithromycin. Drug Efficacy Nafithromycin is a groundbreaking antibiotic for respiratory infections, which is the first new antibiotic in 30 years. The drug is taken as a single tablet daily for three days. It is ten times more potent than azithromycin and has eight times better lung absorption. The clinical cure rate stands at 96.7%, and it is safe for patients. Research Timeline The development of Nafithromycin took 14 years of extensive research. Dr. Jitendra Singh brought into light its importance in fighting antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR occurs when bacteria become resistant to medications, complicating treatment. Large pharmaceutical companies have reduced antibiotic development efforts. This gap has allowed smaller firms like Wockhardt to innovate. Discussions hosted by the Centre for Science and Environment explored challenges faced by Indian antibiotic developers. These conversations aim to encourage future innovations in antibiotic development.

Rich nations did ‘great escape’ from finance obligations at UN climate summit: CSE

The developed world performed ‘the great escape’ from their finance obligations at the 29th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku in Azerbaijan, said Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Director General Sunita Narain on Thursday. “At COP29, we lost an opportunity -- without a meaningful agreement on climate finance; both in terms of quantity and quality, large parts of the world that would have had the chance to reinvent growth to make it low-carbon intensive, will not be able to do so,” she said. “What’s worse, this comes at a time when these countries are even more vulnerable due to climate change impacts,” said Sunita Narain while speaking at an online debriefing ‘Did the finance COP deliver? The headline issue of the conference was the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance. The NCQG is the successor to the $100 billion per year commitment made by developed countries in 2009 to support climate action in developing countries by 2020. Says Avantika Goswami, programme manager, Climate Change, CSE: “An ambitious NCQG outcome at COP29 would have been critical for supporting the increasing climate needs of the Global South. So did the finance COP deliver? The answer has to be a most emphatic ‘no’.” What the COP29 presidency did was to gavel a climate finance deal of $300 billion per year for developing countries -- the money is expected come from developed nations and other sources by 2035. The deal also “calls on all actors” to contribute towards an overall climate finance goal of $1.3 trillion per year to developing countries by 2035, which would also include voluntary contributions from developing countries. Says Goswami: “The Global North has abandoned the Global South with this meagre offer. It has no right to demand mitigation ambition from our part of the world with so little finance on the table. To begin with, the deal dilutes the legal obligation of developed countries to provide the entirety of the finance under the new goal, as per Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement. The ambiguities of the goal make it clear that there will be little accountability and traceability of funds.” She adds: “This was the last remaining window for the Global North to step up, pay its fair share, and restore some semblance of trust in the multilateral process. They have failed.” The adopted NCQG decision text extends the erstwhile $100 billion commitment to a mere $300 billion per year by 2035 with developed countries “taking the lead”. “The stated $300 billion figure is far below developing country needs. The demand from the G77 and China bloc -- the largest negotiating bloc of 134 developing countries -- was for $600 billion annually in public finance from developed countries, out of a larger annual sum of $1.3 trillion by 2030 -- all of which was to come from developed countries only,” says Goswami. In addition to the amount, the timeframe of achieving the goal by 2035 is also problematic. CSE researchers point out that 10 years is too long for such a low amount of finance, potentially leaving developing countries stuck with highly inadequate finance until it is much too late for significant climate action within this critical decade. Moreover, the $300 billion quantum is not specified as grants-based or concessional, which leaves scope for debt-worsening modes of financing in the Global South -- going against the demands of various developing country groups. The decision text also fails to clarify any separation between ‘provision’ and ‘mobilisation’. In this context, framing the $1.3 trillion per year target for developing countries as a goal from ‘all actors’ shifts the burden of climate action on the private sector, which has historically contributed only a small fraction of climate finance. This casts serious doubts on achieving the needed scale of $1.3 trillion annually. At COP 29’s closing plenary, India, Bolivia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Cuba made statements about the lack of ambition in the climate finance outcome. India objected to the adoption of the decision and expressed strong disapproval of the elements of the text as well as a ‘lack of trust’ in the process -- but the text stands adopted as is. After close to a decade of deliberations, Article 6 of the Paris Agreement was finally adopted at COP29. Under Article 6, countries can voluntarily cooperate via market-based trades denominated in tonne of carbon, to implement their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). While Article 6.2 involves bilateral agreements for trading carbon credits, Article 6.4 sets up a global carbon market. But Trishant Dev, programme officer, Climate Change, CSE, has his doubts on Article 6.2, he says: “The framework as adopted is weak on accountability. There are no strong consequences for countries in case of inconsistencies flagged by experts, such as misreporting or not following the framework to the spirit. “Overall, despite some transparency measures, nothing in the framework prevents parties from trading low-quality carbon credits.” On Article 6.4, the COP29 Presidency announced on the opening day that countries had agreed on the standards adopted by the Supervisory Body (a UN body overseeing the global carbon market) and that the body would provide further guidance on the operationalisation of Article 6.4. Dev comments: “New guidelines have been finalised for the Supervisory Body. Some of these are quite positive, such as the scientific expertise that the Supervisory Body should seek, and Supervisory Body’s work on further guidance on baselines, downward adjustment, non-permanence and reversal risk. However, the allowance of transition of afforestation and reforestation projects from the Clean Development Mechanism (under the Kyoto Protocol) to Article 6.4 without any substantive checks creates a risk of low-quality CDM credits flooding the Article 6 market.”

As farm fire season gets over, local sources make Dec-Jan grey & toxic

The impact of harvest stubble burning on the air in Delhi is over. This season continued with the trend of biomass fires' decreasing contribution to the bad air. The bad days, however, aren't over yet. When the share of local and regional sources of pollution increases in Dec and Jan, the pollutants remain trapped, with dense fog, slow winds and low temperatures hampering the dispersion of pollutants. An analysis of the Decision Support System's data done by the Centre for Science and Environment revealed that during the stubble burning season from Oct 24 to Nov 8 in 2022, the biomass burning was responsible for 14.5% to Delhi's PM2.5. In the same period, local sources accounted for 31% of the pollutants while NCR districts contributed 54.5%. However, from Dec 1, 2022, to Jan 31, 2023, the share of stubble burning came down to almost nil, but the proportion of local pollutants and from NCR districts was, respectively, 33.6% and 39.8% in the period, with 26.5% being attributed to ‘other districts', which include the districts apart from the 19 in the NCR of Haryana, UP, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan and places across the border. The Central Pollution Control Board's data shows that in Jan this year, there were three ‘severe' days and 27 ‘very poor' days in Delhi. The lowest AQI was 273 on Jan 10 in the ‘poor' range. Similar conditions prevailed in Dec 2023, with the month recording three ‘severe' days, including when the AQI touched 450 on Dec 23. The month saw 24 ‘very poor' days and four ‘poor' days with the lowest AQI reading of 285. Among Delhi's local sources, the contribution of domestic burning of non-cleaner fuels to beat the cold and industrial pollutants was higher in Dec-Jan than in Oct-Nov. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE, said, "The character of the smog episodes changes during the later part of Dec and early Jan when the impact of biomass/stubble burning is nearly eliminated. Though the contribution of pollution from other sources outside Delhi continues to remain high, the relative share of the local combustion increases." She pointed out that while vehicles remained the top polluter, peripheral industry, domestic use of solid fuels and construction pollutants exist. This underscores the importance of prioritising vehicles, industry, solid fuels and all combustion sources for curbing. "No city can meet the clean air target without minimising the regional influence on its air quality," said Roychowdhury. "This requires upscaling of sectoral measures in the airshed to complement stringent local action." Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst, Envirocatalysts, said the air quality in Dec and Jan mostly hovered in the ‘poor' or ‘very poor' zone with the exception of a few days impacted by rain. Precipitation reduces the pollution concentration a bit for a few hours, thus reducing the daily averages. "While lower temperatures, reduced wind speed, and formation of inversion layer traps the pollutant emissions near the surface and reduces dilution, the pollution level can still be tackled by reducing the emission load from contributing sectors. Transportation, power generation, industrial activities, construction, waste generation and biomass use for cooking and heating add to the high emission load," said Dahiya. He added that the high pollution levels and the emission load could be reduced by regulating the operation of polluting industries and power plants as well as strict enforcement of laws and GRAP as short-term measures. "Shifting the polluting energy sources for transport, power generation and industries to cleaner alternatives and using the most efficient pollution control technology at source in the longer term can ensure that we don't face the same hazardous air pollution year after year," he suggested.

How National Clean Air Programme is ineffective in tackling pollution

National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) was launched in January 2019 to address the increasing pollution. However, in the five years since its launch, NCAP is not exhibiting the desired effect. The allocations are more to cities which are less polluted. The target of the programme seems to be tackling road dust, and not other air pollutants which are currently wreaking havoc. The NCAP, launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, aims to reduce PM2.5 and PM10 levels by 20-30 per cent by 2024, with the target now extended to 2025. PM refers to a mixture of solid and liquid particles suspended in the air, and a PM10 level exceeding 60 ug/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter of the air) indicates deteriorating air quality. Misallocation? Mumbai (₹938 crore), Kolkata (₹846 crore), and Hyderabad (₹551.05 crore) are the top three cities receiving the highest funds, with utilisation rates of 60.2 per cent, 79.6 per cent, and 73.8 per cent, respectively. Their five-year annual average PM10 levels stand at 104, 99, and 85 ug/m3. In contrast, cities like Faridabad (₹73 crore), Ghaziabad (₹136 crore), and Delhi (₹42 crore) have made use of 38.9 per cent, 97.3 per cent, and 29.5 per cent of their allocated funds, respectively. Despite this, their PM10 levels are among the highest across 131 cities, with averages of 210, 204, and 200 ug/m3, indicating persistent challenges in curbing air pollution. Only road dust According to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment in July 2024, a substantial portion of the funds under the NCAP has been utilised in addressing road dust, accounting for 64 per cent. Around 14.51 per cent has been allocated to tackle biomass burning, 12.63 per cent to the vehicle sector, 6 per cent for capacity building, and a mere 0.61 per cent has been spent on the industrial sector. “Thus, road dust mitigation measures that include paving, road widening, pothole repair, water sprinkling, mechanical sweepers, etc. have taken the lion’s share of the funds for clean air action. Very little is being spent on industrial and vehicular pollution,” the report reads. Gufran Beig, Chair-Professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, pointed out that there are strategic policy-level issues, such as changing crop types in the northern regions, that can help curb biomass pollution, as stubble burning contributes significantly to increasing biomass pollution in the region. “There is a need for stringent monitoring mechanisms, policy regulations, and norms to control industrial pollution. Many unregistered small industries fail to comply with regulations, and large industries must also ensure adherence to these standards. This can only be achieved by having proper mechanisms in place,” Beig added. The NCAP has released ₹10,595 crore to different states from 2019 to 2024, targeting 131 cities. Of this, ₹6,922 crore (65.3 per cent) has been utilised. But in 114 cities, the five-year annual average of Particulate Matter 10 (PM10) still exceeds the safe limit of 60. The total amount of funds released and utilised for these targeted cities under the NCAP and the Fifteenth Finance Commission’s (XV-FC) Air Quality Performance Grants.

India, EU gear up for 10th round of FTA negotiations

Fresh momentum in India-European Union (EU) free trade negotiations has emerged against the backdrop of global uncertainties and shifting geopolitical equations after the US presidential elections, as top negotiators from both sides met in Brussels recently to prepare for the 10th round of talks. The 27-member European bloc sees India, with its democratic values and robust economy, as a natural trade partner to ensure trusted supply chains amid turbulent global conditions, according to officials familiar with the matter. “India is the go-to country for most of the developed world amid an expected change in trade dynamics after President Trump assumes power in January. EU would not like to miss the bus after investing over two years in negotiating an FTA with India since June 2022,” said a person close to the negotiations. Sustainability regulations like labour standards, deforestation rules and carbon tax have been key stumbling blocks despite nine rounds of talks, with the Europeans insisting these be seen as trade matters. “India is not averse to the idea of environment protection. In fact, it is committed to fulfil the obligation by 2070. But, clubbing these in the free trade deal would amount to putting non-tariff barriers in a sly, which was not acceptable,” the official said, and added that “it seems that some convergence on this matter is seen recently, which is indeed a positive sign”. A second person aware of the matter said that “things have changed after the outcome of the US presidential election in early November. The eagerness and positive signs were visible during commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal’s recent meeting with senior EU officials and European diplomats.” Commerce secretary Barthwal met EU director general Sabine Weyand in Brussels on November 21, where both sides showed renewed eagerness. They discussed FTA negotiations progress, cooperation under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council, and market access issues. While EU seeks zero-duty market access for its goods in India with reciprocal benefits, inclusion of sustainability measures like carbon tax could potentially nullify trade advantages for Indian exporters. Key concerns include the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and EU deforestation regulation (EUDR). The carbon tax burden for India is estimated at 0.05% of GDP, according to a July report by the Centre for Science and Environment. The EU is India’s second-largest export destination, receiving merchandise exports worth $76 billion in 2023-24, while India imported goods valued at over $59 billion. CBAM could lead to tariffs of up to 35% on carbon-intensive Indian exports like cement, aluminium, fertilisers, chemicals, iron and steel. The tax, being implemented in phases from October 2023, becomes fully effective January 2026. Meanwhile, EUDR’s implementation deadline for deforestation-free certification of products like cattle, wood, cocoa and derived goods has been extended by a year to December 30, 2025.

Nations unite to address global plastic pollution crisis in Busan

While the outcome on the climate finance deal at COP29 in Baku was derided by the developing nations, days later, 175 countries assembled in Busan, South Korea, for the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop a Global Treaty on ending plastic pollution. At the ongoing discussion that will end on December 1, participating countries would argue that plastic pollution must be addressed through reduction in plastic production and a legally binding international agreement. Experts state that India could play a pivotal role in leading the world towards the development of a global criteria for single-use plastic ban. In 2022, India had already issued Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) guidelines under which manufacturers should register on a centralised portal. With these guidelines, India fixed the responsibility on manufacturers to ensure processing of their plastic packaging waste through recycling, re-use or end of life disposal. Amit Tandon, Founder and CEO, PolyCycl Pvt Ltd said, “The Global Plastics Treaty is a rare, once-in-a-generation chance to build global collaboration to tackle plastic pollution head-on. India already boasts one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive EPR frameworks for plastic life-cycle management. With only a third of treaty member states having implemented any form of EPR, India also stands to offer a regulatory model for other nations for developing an effective and sustainable system for managing plastics.” According to the United Nations Environment Programme, single-use plastics represent 36 per cent of the plastic production in the world. Nations unite to address global plastic pollution crisis in Busan Single-use plastics represent 36 per cent of plastic production in the world article_Author Aksheev Thakur Tribune News Service New Delhi, Updated At : 11:01 AM Nov 27, 2024 IST fb twitter whatsapp Follow us Follow us Connect with us Connect with us featured-imgfeatured-img A man sorts plastic waste at Minh Khai Craft Village in Hung Yen province in Vietnam. Reuters Photo Advertisement While the outcome on the climate finance deal at COP29 in Baku was derided by the developing nations, days later, 175 countries assembled in Busan, South Korea, for the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop a Global Treaty on ending plastic pollution. At the ongoing discussion that will end on December 1, participating countries would argue that plastic pollution must be addressed through reduction in plastic production and a legally binding international agreement. Experts state that India could play a pivotal role in leading the world towards the development of a global criteria for single-use plastic ban. Advertisement In 2022, India had already issued Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) guidelines under which manufacturers should register on a centralised portal. With these guidelines, India fixed the responsibility on manufacturers to ensure processing of their plastic packaging waste through recycling, re-use or end of life disposal. Amit Tandon, Founder and CEO, PolyCycl Pvt Ltd said, “The Global Plastics Treaty is a rare, once-in-a-generation chance to build global collaboration to tackle plastic pollution head-on. India already boasts one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive EPR frameworks for plastic life-cycle management. With only a third of treaty member states having implemented any form of EPR, India also stands to offer a regulatory model for other nations for developing an effective and sustainable system for managing plastics.” Read More Flowers India Adani denies bribery charges by US court, Rahul says 'you expect him to accept?'' View More right-arrow Advertisement According to the United Nations Environment Programme, single-use plastics represent 36 per cent of the plastic production in the world. PlayUnmute Fullscreen In 2022, India banned 19 single use plastic items like plastic bags, cutlery, straws, food packaging, disposable water bottles and plastic cups. Atin Biswas, programme director, Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, “India introduced a resolution in United Nations Environment Assembly 4, aimed at ending single-use plastic product pollution. The country is positioning itself as a leader in efforts to eliminate single-use plastics at both regional and national levels.”

Rich nations owe 'climate debt' to poorer countries

More than a century of burning coal, oil and gas has fueled intense heatwaves, prolonged droughts, heavier rains and devastating floods. To prevent even more severe impacts, the UN global climate summit, Cop29, must deliver tangible results to keep global temperature rises below 2C – the limit defined in the 2015 Paris agreement. Achieving this goal means human societies can only emit a finite amount of additional carbon dioxide, known as the world’s “carbon budget”. Developed nations have exceeded their carbon budgets, while developing countries remain within theirs. Carbon dioxide lingers in the atmosphere for centuries, turning past unchecked fossil fuel use into a costly planetary bill. Between 1870 and 2019, the US, EU, Russia, UK, Japan, Canada and Australia – home to just 15% of the global population – accounted for over 60% of atmospheric carbon dioxide, according to the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment.

Low wind speed, drop in mercury to turn air ‘very poor’ in Gurgaon

Gurgaon: The city's air quality improved marginally on Wednesday to fall in ‘poor' category with the Air Quality Index (AQI) being recorded at 217, down from the previous day's 289. The Sector-51 and Teri Gram monitoring stations witnessed ‘moderate' air while Gwalpahari and Vikas Sadan's air fell in the ‘poor' category. The AQI is likely to deteriorate to the ‘very poor' category in the next six days. The PM2.5 level was highest in Gwalpahari (254 µg/m³) on Wednesday, followed by Vikas Sadan (233 µg/m³), Teri Gram (232 µg/m³), and Sector 51 (222 µg/m³). The PM10 level was highest at Gwalpahari (283 µg/m³), followed by Teri Gram (213 µg/m³) and Sector-51 (202 µg/m³). Vikas Sadan doesn't record PM10 data. According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the annual average permissible limits for PM2.5 and PM10 are 60µg/m³ and 100 µg/m³, respectively. According to central government's System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar), weather conditions are likely to be highly unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants till Dec 2. "Predominant surface winds are likely to come from the northeast direction and with a speed of up to 8kmph. There will also be fog. The maximum dispersion rate is likely to be between 600 m2/s and 3,500 m2/s in the region. A ventilation index lower than 6,000 m2/s with an average wind speed of less than 10 kmph is unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants," the Safar forecast stated. A Haryana State Pollution Control Board official said pollutants were likely to get trapped in the atmosphere, further pulling the air quality down. "Better wind speed has helped in improving the AQI, but as pollutants are likely to get trapped due to severe cold, it will deteriorate again," he said. Meanwhile, satellite data from NASA, collated by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, showed that stubble burning incidents have gone down over the last two days, with the daily count in Haryana remaining below 30. "The stubble burning season is almost over, but the air quality is still in ‘poor' or ‘very poor' category. This indicates that local factors like vehicular pollution, road dust, rampant construction and garbage burning incidents are significantly contributing to trapping of the pollutants in the atmosphere. The temperature in the coming days is likely to fall, and consequently, dispersion of pollutants will be difficult," said Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at the Centre for Science and Environment. According to the guidelines issued by CPCB, when AQI is in the 'moderate' category, people with asthma and lung or heart diseases can feel discomfort in breathing. In 'poor' AQI, discomfort can be felt by most people after a prolonged exposure. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

UN talks on treaty to curb plastic pollution open in Busan

New Delhi: After a rather disappointing close to the UN Climate Summit (COP29) in Baku with an underwhelming climate finance deal, countries are expected to agree on an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in seas and oceans by end of this week. The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-5) is being held in Busan, South Korea where 175 parties are expected to negotiate on the text for the agreement. Following public calls for action on plastic pollution, in 2022, the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) resolved to end plastic pollution by adopting resolution, which established an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to work towards a treaty. The INC has met four times since 2022 (INC-1, INC-2, INC-3 and INC-4), managing to overcome initial procedural challenges and initiating text-based negotiations based on a compilation of the draft text of the future agreement. INC Chair Luis Vayas circulated a non-paper in late October this year that captures common ground among INC members on which they are likely to agree to. This non-paper has a preamble which lists the reasons for phasing out plastics. It also lists exemptions that may be allowed. And it discusses plastic product design, supply (-this is to do with managing the supply of primary polymers to achieve sustainable levels of production and consumption), emissions, plastic waste management, just transition, finance to aid transition, and implementation and monitoring. Chair Luis Vayas clarified on Monday that the Non-Paper is entirely bracketed (which means every aspect is up for discussion) , and has been proposed as a “starting point for negotiations”. “This session is a pivotal opportunity to deal with one of the most pressing environmental problems. Plastic waste is about 80% of all marine pollution, with an estimate of 8 to 10 million MT entering oceans annually. Plastic production soared from 2.3 million tonnes in 1950 to 448 million tonnes 2015. The economic and environmental costs of this are profound. Microplastics impact human organs and are associated with serious health risks including cancers,” said Vayas during a press conference. India could lead the world towards the development of a global criteria for single-use plastics ban, researchers from Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) who have closely followed the negotiations through the years have said. Naresh Pal Gangwar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change is India’s lead negotiator on the treaty. India introduced a resolution in UNEA 4, aimed at “ending single-use plastic product pollution”. “The country is positioning itself as a leader in efforts to eliminate single-use plastics at both regional and national levels,” said Atin Biswas, programme director, Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy, Centre for Science and Environment in a statement. In 2019, India developed a criteria-based framework to identify problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic products. A total of 40 single-use plastic products, including carry bags, small plastic bottles, intravenous (saline) bottles and tea bags were evaluated using this criteria-based method – which was then used to phase out 19 single-use plastic items that were banned from production, stocking, distribution, sale, and use from the Indian market. “The criteria developed by India, guided by its ministry of chemicals and fertilisers, along with support and inputs from other member states advocating for a global criteria-based approach, can serve as a foundation for creating a comprehensive, logical, and science-based global framework for problematic, unnecessary, and avoidable plastic products including single-use plastic products,” Biswas added in a statement on November 23. Plastic waste has accumulated to over 10 billion tonnes since the 1950s, filling landfills and clogging sewage systems, streams and rivers, ending up in the ocean. The major point of contentions in the plastics negotiations is around three issues. The first is downstream versus upstream. The original resolution called on delegates to look at the entire lifecycle of plastic. This has created several interpretations over the course of the negotiations, according to International Institute of Sustainable Development. Some countries are interested in addressing upstream plastic, which means plastic right from a point of production. But nearly all countries are interested in looking at downstream plastic – tackling plastic waste instead of actually stopping production of plastics. The second is on the use of chemicals. “There is a clear opening here to list the obvious harmful chemicals and to establish a process for listing those that are yet to be identified. Furthermore, are there specific plastic items that we can live without, those that so often leak into the environment? Are there alternatives to these item,” asked a statement from United Nations Environment Programme. The third is supply and finance. The UNEA resolution called for sustainable production and consumption of plastics – taking a lifecycle approach. “This obviously takes inspiration from Sustainable Development Goal 12 that addresses sustainable production and consumption. My plea is to use this aspect of the resolution as your guiding star, while recognising that national plans and reporting will offer a critical tool for Parties to ensure adherence to the agreements that you may strike,” said Inger Andersen, Executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme during her speech at the opening plenary on Monday. “Financing is central to multilateral environmental agreements. We saw how important this issue is to many countries in the just-concluded climate talks. The UNEA resolution clearly provides you with guidance and states that parties should consider the establishment of “a financial mechanism to support implementation of the instrument, including the option of a dedicated multilateral fund”, she added. WHY IS A GLOBAL PLASTIC PHASE OUT TREATY NEEDED? To end the global plastic pollution crisis. 1. More plastics and human-made chemicals have been produced than the planet can afford. 2. Waste management can’t solve the crisis, and a coordinated and dramatic reduction in plastic production is needed - only a global treaty can achieve this. To fight climate change 1. More than 99% of plastic is made from fossil fuels.

Haryana farm fires 40% less than last yr, sharp drop in Punjab too

Gurgaon: As crop stubble burning season nears an end, satellite data shows that at 1,315, Haryana has recorded a substantial decrease in farm fires in the Sept 15 to Nov 25 period this year than in the same period in the last four years. Data compiled by Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) shows the number of recorded farm fires was 2,278 in 2023, 2,581 in 2022, 6,829 in 2021 and 4,036 in 2020, the last two being pandemic years. Compared to last year, farm fires have fallen 42% this year, and compared to 2020, the reduction is around 70%. While the rains not continuing late into Sept and Oct this year likely led to some farmers clearing their fields before the measurement window, steps on the ground like access to machinery, newer farming technologies being adopted, and stricter monitoring – with the state govt taking penal action against officials for not stopping farmers from burning stubble – have begun to show their impact, experts said. For years, NCR states have been announcing a flurry of measures to reduce stubble burning as it coincides with the winter pollution season and adds harmful particles to the already toxic haze over northwestern India. Punjab, which usually has the highest number of farm fires among the states, has also recorded a sharp drop. Between Sept 15 and Nov 25, it recorded 10,682 cases of stubble burning, compared to 36,514 incidents in 2023, 49,810 in 2022, 71,215 incidents in 2021 and 82,702 in 2020. "This year, the rains stopped in August, as a result of which farmers got enough time to manage straw and prepare their land for the next crop. Farmers are also getting help on the ground, and that is reflecting in the numbers," said Shubhansh Tiwari, research associate at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). "It's true that fires in Haryana are at the best levels," said Hiren Jethva, senior research scientist at US space agency NASA, whose satellites capture farm fire data. The Haryana govt, ahead of winter, procured 90,000 machines that were given to farmers for in-situ paddy straw management. It also appointed 10,000 nodal officers and set up dedicated teams to check stubble burning. Govt data suggests much of the straw left behind after paddy harvests was utilised or sold. "This year, we started providing machinery to farmers in August. We also prepared a staggered harvesting schedule for paddy. Gram panchayats that achieved zero-burning targets will be awarded Rs 1 lakh or Rs 50,000," said Darshan Singh, technical assistant, Haryana agriculture department. Farmers said it was also a breather for them. "This year, we started the harvest season early. Industries bought large quantities of straw. We don't like to burn the residue either. Earlier it was difficult to get access to machinery, and industries would hardly come to buy stubble. This year, it was smoother," said Rajvinder Singh, a farmer in Kurukshetra. At 201, Jind reported the highest number of farm fires this season, followed by Kaithal (194), Sirsa (147), Kurukshetra (131), Fatehabad (129), Karnal (95), Ambala (91), Sonipat (65), Faridabad (47), Hisar (43), Palwal (38), Panipat (38), Yamunanagar (38), Rohtak (21), Panchkula (19), Jhajjar (11) and Bhiwani (7). "While stubble burning counts have significantly reduced, the percentage contribution of stubble burning in PM2.5 in Delhi remains similar to last year, ranging between 11% and 35% in Nov. To confirm the reduction, thermal anomalies from NASA's dataset can be used as a secondary source for validating and cross-referencing fire counts. If both datasets show a reduction, the stubble burning contribution analysis should be revised to provide more accurate results," said Manoj Kumar, analyst at Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). LS Kurinji, programme associate at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), said, "While satellite-derived fires can offer nearly a decade's record of global fire activity, they come with certain limitations, such as missing data due to cloud cover, coarser resolution, and limited overpass time, making it difficult to capture short-lived fires that occur outside the satellite overpass time. This is important because, according to a CEEW study, over half of the 58% of farmers in Punjab who practise in-situ crop residue management partially burned paddy straw during kharif 2022 to improve efficiency, lower costs, and control pests before using machines. Burning in this method lasts only for a few hours, making it difficult for satellites to detect. Therefore, it is important to approach the data cautiously while analysing year-on-year trends."