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King Charles Set for a 'Healing' Tour? Indian Subcontinent Visit to Boost Health Amid Cancer Recovery Rumors

A journey to the Indian subcontinent would substantially enhance King Charles' health as he persists in his cancer rehabilitation. This may indicate a revival of his intentions to visit India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, which were postponed until the Queen's demise in September 2022. Number 10 is eager to enlist King Charles and Queen Camilla to initiate a charm offensive as Britain aims to forge substantial commercial connections in a post-Brexit landscape. A source indicated that it is highly encouraging to formulate such preparations for King Charles and Queen Camilla, considering the monarch's challenging year; yet, it is proceeding with significant momentum. A forthcoming tour of the Indian subcontinent will hold substantial political and cultural significance for Britain on the global stage. The King and Queen served as exemplary ambassadors during this period. Officials from the Foreign Office have received authorization to initiate conversations with prospective host nations for royal visits, and plans for tours of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are being formulated. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conveyed his intention to host King Charles and Queen Camilla following the cancellation of their previous visit, Reuters reported. Concerns exist regarding a visit to the country due to Modi's increasing proximity to the Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin. Last month, the pair convened at the BRICS meeting of global leaders, and on Tuesday, Putin extolled Russia's "strategic partnership" with India. Modi has asserted that Moscow's unlawful conflict in Ukraine must be resolved amicably. In 2006, King Charles, as Prince of Wales, visited Pakistan for a week accompanied by Camilla. “It has taken me very nearly 58 years to reach you, and it’s not from want of trying, I can tell you," he said at the time. The couple traveled in 2019 to enhance relations between the two nations. In November that year, King Charles embarked on his 10th official visit to India, concentrating on climate change, sustainability, and social finance. He visited the Meteorological Department in New Delhi, traveled in an electric rickshaw, and talked with environmentalist Sunita Narain. Last month, King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the countryside for a spa retreat following their trip to Australia and Samoa. Sources indicated that King Charles would "relish" the prospect of publicly resuming his role as monarch, as per Town & Country Magazine. Palace officials indicated last month that he was poised to commence a comprehensive international tour following the trip to Australia and Samoa, which was deemed the "ideal remedy." The Mirror disclosed this month that the pair is organizing a spring vacation to Italy as the administration aims to reinforce relations with Europe. Italy will have a sacred Jubilee year in 2025, commencing on Christmas Eve and concluding on Epiphany 2026. This significant anniversary for the Catholic Church is a period of celebration, prompting conjecture regarding a potential meeting between the royals and the Pope. The announcement of King Charles' anticipated visit has elicited varied responses online. “King Charles' India trip could redefine UK-South Asia relations!” an X user said. “A health-focused royal tour? Seems like a win-win for diplomacy and recovery," another netizen stated. Business Times has reached out to King Charles and Queen Camilla for comments.

Delhi air pollution: Severe streak over, but breather unlikely in national capital

The streak of five consecutive ‘severely' polluted days is over, but it isn't time to be complacent. Around four such episodes of extreme pollution occur every winter season from Nov to Jan. For the next few days, however, the air quality is likely to be in the ‘very poor' category. Experts warned that since local and regional emissions continued to remain elevated, any adverse meteorological condition could push the air quality back into the ‘severe' zone. When the pollution hit an Air Quality Index of 400, it is deemed to be ‘severe'. In Nov so far, Delhi has recorded seven ‘severe' days, including five such days on the trot. Last year, there were four episodes of this sort in the winter. Nov last year recorded three smog episodes when AQI was consistently 390 or above. The first streak stretched from Nov 2 to Nov 9, with rain on Nov 10 providing a temporary relief before another episode lasting from Nov 14 to 17. Delhiites fell into the grip of a third spell from Nov 22 to 27, before rain again helped provide a respite. The following month saw another smog spell from Dec 22 to 24. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, "Smog episodes, sometimes several of smaller duration and sometimes of longer duration, are normal during Nov. Subsequently, episodes also build up in late Dec and Jan. Meteorology plays a role in this build-up. But severity depends on the level of local and regional pollution." According to an analysis of the past five years by Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the Nov 1-15 period is the most polluted stretch in the year with an average AQI of 371. The Dec 15-31 fortnight is the second most polluted with an average AQI of 354. The third worst polluted period is from Jan 1 to 15 with an average AQI of 328. Mahesh Palawat, vice-president, meteorology and climate change, Skymet Weather, explained, "With cold north-westerly winds reaching the plains, the minimum temperature drops and makes dispersing pollutants from the atmosphere difficult. The lower the minimum temperatures dips, the thicker is the inversion layer. And the thicker the inversion layer, the more difficult for sun rays or winds to penetrate and disperse the pollutants." The number of ‘severe' pollution days fluctuates every winter season depending on the weather conditions. The winter months of 2023 and 2022 saw, respectively, 15 and six ‘severe' days, while 2021 recorded 24 such days. Dipankar Saha, former head of Central Pollution Control Board's air laboratory, said, "Air is a dynamic system and the intrusion of pollutants from neighbouring states can't be denied. Everyone has to work to control emissions on the ground, particularly at the source. It can't be business as usual in the winter months across the entire Indo-Gangetic Plains."

As deadline looms, divide over climate pact widens

A deep divide over climate finance erupted into the open on Thursday at the UN climate summit COP29, as developed nations and developing nations roundly rejected a new draft proposal that offered two starkly different options for funding climate action, leaving the talks in disarray with barely a day remaining. A controversial proposal to count developing countries’ domestic resources as part of climate finance has sparked fierce opposition, with India maintaining that any expansion of the contributor base or focus on private sector funding flows “are contrary to the mandate for the goal.” The 10-page draft, slimmed down from an earlier 25-page version, presents two starkly different approaches to the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance, the deal at the heart of this year’s talks. The NCQG refers to the next step of funding for climate crisis. While one option maintains traditional flows from developed to developing nations, the controversial alternative suggests counting “all sources of finance, including domestic resources” toward climate funding goals. The first option establishes an annual climate finance goal of “at least USD [X] trillion” from 2025-2035, specifically flowing from developed to developing countries. It emphasises grants or grant-equivalent terms and includes provisions for adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage support. The alternative proposal, backed by developed nations, sets a similar trillion-dollar target but delays implementation until 2035 and includes the contentious “domestic resources” provision. It also aims to “gradually improve the global data available to track financial investments in climate action, including data not currently captured under formal reporting systems.” “The audacity to even consider including ‘domestic sources’ in the NCQG - a goal mandate to be from developed to developing countries in a climate treaty signed in 2015. Incredible. Developed countries respect the Paris Agreement by convenience, not norm,” wrote Avantika Goswami from the Centre For Science And Environment.

Rich nations in the global north owe 'climate debt' to poorer nations

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 U.N. global climate summit, Cop29, must deliver tangible results to keep global temperature rises below 36 degrees Fahrenheit, 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 U.S., E.U., Russia, U.K., Japan, Canada and Australia — home to just 15% of the global population — accounted for more than 60% of atmospheric carbon dioxide, according to the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. This underscores the climate debt that rich nations in the global north owe to poorer nations. This reality — rather than oil and gas lobbying — should focus minds at Cop29 in Azerbaijan, where leaders must forge a new global climate finance plan by next week. Economists estimate that developing nations need $1 trillion annually by 2030, a figure that reflects the scale of the climate crisis. Yet there is little sign the rich world will contribute its fair share. A stronger, more unified approach is needed. Many of Africa’s environmental NGOs argue that the continent has been sidelined in global industrial shifts, particularly in green industrialization, due to its lack of a robust manufacturing base and its role as a raw materials supplier. While advanced economies dominate green innovation, Africa faces significant hurdles, including limited technology transfer, expensive financing and weak governance.

As deadline looms, divide over climate pact widens

A deep divide over climate finance erupted into the open on Thursday at the UN climate summit COP29, as developed nations and developing nations roundly rejected a new draft proposal that offered two starkly different options for funding climate action, leaving the talks in disarray with barely a day remaining. A controversial proposal to count developing countries’ domestic resources as part of climate finance has sparked fierce opposition, with India maintaining that any expansion of the contributor base or focus on private sector funding flows “are contrary to the mandate for the goal.” The 10-page draft, slimmed down from an earlier 25-page version, presents two starkly different approaches to the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance, the deal at the heart of this year’s talks. The NCQG refers to the next step of funding for climate crisis. While one option maintains traditional flows from developed to developing nations, the controversial alternative suggests counting “all sources of finance, including domestic resources” toward climate funding goals. The first option establishes an annual climate finance goal of “at least USD [X] trillion” from 2025-2035, specifically flowing from developed to developing countries. It emphasises grants or grant-equivalent terms and includes provisions for adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage support. The alternative proposal, backed by developed nations, sets a similar trillion-dollar target but delays implementation until 2035 and includes the contentious “domestic resources” provision. It also aims to “gradually improve the global data available to track financial investments in climate action, including data not currently captured under formal reporting systems.” “The audacity to even consider including ‘domestic sources’ in the NCQG - a goal mandate to be from developed to developing countries in a climate treaty signed in 2015. Incredible. Developed countries respect the Paris Agreement by convenience, not norm,” wrote Avantika Goswami from the Centre For Science And Environment. The developed countries attacked the options as well. “This text is imbalanced, unacceptable and unworkable,” declared EU Climate Envoy Wopke Hoekstra at the plenary, focusing his criticism on what he saw as insufficient mitigation commitments. The EU insists that “all parties with capacity must contribute to NCQG.”

Delhi roads see approx 1,800 new vehicles daily: Here’s why they are largest contributors to pollution

Vehicles continue to remain the largest source of pollution in Delhi — among them, emissions from two-wheelers account for the largest share of vehicular pollution. Data from the Delhi transport department shows around 1,800 vehicles are added to the Capital’s roads in a day. A draft report on a 2021 emission inventory by TERI pointed out that vehicles are the largest emitters of PM 2.5 in Delhi, making up around 47% or 9.6 kt/year (kilotonnes per year) of the total estimated PM 2.5 emission of 20.32 kt/year. Officially, there are 1.50 crore vehicles on Delhi’s roads — including commercial and privately owned vehicles — going by data from the transport department. Of these, around 59 lakh petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles are overage — over the limit of 15 and 10 years. So, the city only has 91,52,065 registered vehicles. Data also shows in the last two years, Delhi has seen a 32% uptick in registration of new vehicles. This year, till November 21, the city registered a total of 6.42 lakh vehicles. “If we see it as a growing trend, it will cross last year’s registration figures. Total registrations include vehicles from outside too but registered in the city to ply here. But the percentage of such vehicles is just 1-1.5%. The rest are new vehicles sold in the city,” said a senior transport department official. Data also shows that registration of diesel vehicles is coming down. In 2022, it was 15,613. To date, 11,089 diesel vehicles are registered in the city. What experts say Amit Bhatt, Managing Director of the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), said, “Delhi has a significant fleet of CNG vehicles. Treating CNG vehicles as the cleaner alternative is not right; a real-world vehicle emissions study by ICCT released this year has proven so. This is because it emits NOx which contributes to the formation of secondary PM and Ozone. So, the transition should be from CNG to zero-emission vehicles or electric-run vehicles. This has to happen in an extremely accelerated manner in Delhi because of the sheer number of rise in vehicles.” The analysis, published in August this year, observed that real-world emissions from transport vehicles differ significantly from their lab values. It found that real-world NOx emissions of BS-VI CNG fleets including three-wheelers, PCs, taxis, LGVs (Class I and II), and buses were found to be 3.2 times, 2.0 times, 4.0 times, 4.9 times, 14.2 times, and 1.5 times higher, respectively, than type-approval limits. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, said, “The gain from reducing emissions even after several interventions in the city’s transport sector is swamped by explosive motorisation. Meeting zero-emission targets, with a fleet renewal programme, should happen in an accelerated manner… Poor urban design and several gaps in the public transport system including lack of integration, last-mile connectivity… is why private vehicles continue to be favoured more.”

दिल्ली: ट्रैफिक जाम, सड़कों की डिजाइन और पॉपुलेटेड क्राउड वाले जोन कैसे प्रदूषण में कर रहे आग में घी का काम?

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की रिपोर्ट में दिल्ली के प्रदूषण को लेकर चौंकाने वाला खुलासा किया है. सीएई ने अपनी रिपोर्ट में दावा किया है कि वाहनों से होने वाले प्रदूषण को रोकने के लिए किए गए कई तकनीकी उपाय के बाद भी वाहनों से होने वाले प्रदूषण दिल्ली में वायु प्रदूषण की गंभीर समस्या बनकर उभरा है.

République de Corée, une semaine pour trouver un accord à plus de 170 pays

Après deux ans de débats, cette cinquième session du Comité de négociation intergouvernemental (CNI5), dans la ville côtière de Busan face au Japon, est censée déboucher le 1er décembre sur un texte "légalement contraignant" pour combattre la pollution. Des chiffres clé : les émissions de gaz à effet de serre des plastiques, issus de produits pétroliers fossiles - qui dépassent déjà ceux du transport aérien - devraient "plus que doubler" d'ici 2060, à 4,3 milliards de tonnes de CO2, selon l'OCDE. Produits majoritairement en Asie, les plastiques, légers, solides et pas chers, "substances miracle" au moment de leur émergence dans les années 1950, sont devenus des "substances éternelles", dénonce Sunita Narain, directrice générale du Centre pour les sciences de l'environnement de New Delhi. Dégradés en micro puis nano-plastiques et accumulés au fond des rivières ou dans les sols, "ils sont littéralement devenus (...) le symbole de notre impossibilité à gérer les matériaux que nous avons créés", a-t-elle dit mardi 19 novembre lors d'une présentation à la presse. "Moment de vérité" Les négociations durant ce marathon diplomatique de sept jours sont un "moment de vérité", a prévenu la directrice du programme des Nations unies pour l'environnement (PNUE), la danoise Inger Andersen, au début du mois. "Busan peut et doit marquer la fin des négociations" a-t-elle ajouté. Mais malgré le constat partagé par la communauté scientifique, la rédaction d'un traité international ambitieux - à l'unanimité selon les standards ONU - sera très difficile à tenir, selon plusieurs sources interrogées.

Delhi Pollution News : पलूशन में लगातार एयर प्यूरीफायर का इस्तेमाल से होगा नुकसान, जानें एक्सपर्ट क्यों दे रहे चेतावनी

दिल्ली में प्रदूषण का हाल यह है कि जहरीली हवा की वजह से कई लोग अपनी आंखें मसल रहे हैं, किसी के सिर में दर्द हो रहा है तो कही लोगों को सांस लेने में दिक्कत हो रही है। हालत ये हैं कि शहर में जहरीली हवा के फैलने में प्रशासन लाचार नजर आ रहा है। सवाल है कि मौसम में बदलाव के कारकों को कम कैसे किया जाए। ऐसे में तकनीक ही आखिरी उपाय लगता है। हमारे सहयोगी अखबार टाइम्स ऑफ इंडिया एयर प्यूरीफायर जैसे इक्यूपमेंट के कामकाज को देखा और यह समझने की कोशिश करता है कि यह महंगा असिस्टेंट इक्यूपमेंट भी लोगों की जरूरतों को पूरी तरह से पूरा क्यों नहीं कर सकता है। हालांकि एक्सपर्ट इसे एक अस्थायी समाधान बताते हैं। साथ ही वे एयर प्यूरीफायर के लंबे समय तक इस्तेमाल के खिलाफ चेतावनी देते हैं, क्योंकि उन्हें बंद जगहों पर इस्तेमाल करने की आवश्यकता होती है। ऐसे में कार्बन डाइऑक्साइड का लेवल घर के अंदर के वातावरण को स्वास्थ्य के लिए खतरनाक बना सकता है। कमरा अच्छे से सील होना जरूरी सोसाइटी फॉर इंडोर एनवायरनमेंट की सह-संस्थापक प्रियंका कुलश्रेष्ठ के अनुसार, एयर प्यूरीफायर की क्षमता मायने रखती है क्योंकि कुछ डिवाइस छोटे क्षेत्रों को कवर करते हैं जबकि अन्य अधिक जगह को कवर करते हैं। एयर प्यूरीफायर चलने के दौरान बंद दरवाजों या खिड़कियों से हवा का लगातार लीकेज होता रहता है। उन्होंने कहा कि अगर कोई कमरा अच्छी तरह से सील है, तो एयर प्यूरीफायर प्री-फिल्टर, HEPA फिल्टर और एक्टिवेटेड कार्बन फिल्टर में फंसकर PM2.5 को मैनेज कर लेगा, लेकिन यह CO2 की समस्या का समाधान नहीं करता है। एयर प्यूरीफायर को लेकर चेतावनी कुलश्रेष्ठ ने कहा कि CO2 की सांद्रता बाहर 400 पार्ट प्रति मिलियन (पीपीएम) और अंदर 1,100 होती है। हालांकि, बंद कमरे में सोते समय, गैस 2000-2500 पीपीएम की सांद्रता तक पहुंच सकती है, जो हानिकारक साबित हो सकती है। उन्होंने कहा कि हम CO2 उत्सर्जित करते हैं। आठ घंटे की नींद में, हमारी सांस छोड़ने से CO2 की सांद्रता 2500 पीपीएम तक बढ़ सकती है, भले ही एयर प्यूरीफायर चालू हो या न हो। उन्होंने एयर प्यूरीफायर का उपयोग करने वाले सभी लोगों के खिलाफ भी चेतावनी दी। कुलश्रेष्ठ ने कहा कि बीमार लोगों के लिए इस डिवाइस को रेकमेंड किया जाता है, लेकिन अगर कोई बच्चा एयर प्यूरीफायर का आदी हो जाता है और फिर बाहर जाता है, चाहे स्कूल जाने के लिए या खेलने के लिए, तो अनफ़िल्टर्ड हवा के संपर्क में आना बहुत ज़्यादा मुश्किल होगा। उन्होंने कमरे में वेंटिलेशन सुनिश्चित करने का सुझाव दिया। साथ ही सुबह-सुबह या देर शाम खिड़कियां न खोलने या N95 मास्क पहनने का सुझाव दिया। कमरा खोलते ही बढ़ जाता है प्रदूषण सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट की शांभवी शुक्ला के अनुसार, प्यूरीफायर कारगर नहीं हैं क्योंकि जैसे ही बंद कमरा खोला जाता है, प्रदूषण बढ़ जाता है। शुक्ला ने कहा कि जब आप कमरे को पूरी तरह से बंद कर देते हैं तो एयर फिल्टर काम करते हैं। लेकिन बंद कमरे में पूरा दिन नहीं रह सकते। दिल्ली में भले ही घुट रही सांस... देश के इन राज्यों में 'जीरो' पॉल्यूशन

Delhi Pollution News : पलूशन में लगातार एयर प्यूरीफायर का इस्तेमाल से होगा नुकसान, जानें एक्सपर्ट क्यों दे रहे चेतावनी

दिल्ली में प्रदूषण का हाल यह है कि जहरीली हवा की वजह से कई लोग अपनी आंखें मसल रहे हैं, किसी के सिर में दर्द हो रहा है तो कही लोगों को सांस लेने में दिक्कत हो रही है। हालत ये हैं कि शहर में जहरीली हवा के फैलने में प्रशासन लाचार नजर आ रहा है। सवाल है कि मौसम में बदलाव के कारकों को कम कैसे किया जाए। ऐसे में तकनीक ही आखिरी उपाय लगता है। हमारे सहयोगी अखबार टाइम्स ऑफ इंडिया एयर प्यूरीफायर जैसे इक्यूपमेंट के कामकाज को देखा और यह समझने की कोशिश करता है कि यह महंगा असिस्टेंट इक्यूपमेंट भी लोगों की जरूरतों को पूरी तरह से पूरा क्यों नहीं कर सकता है। हालांकि एक्सपर्ट इसे एक अस्थायी समाधान बताते हैं। साथ ही वे एयर प्यूरीफायर के लंबे समय तक इस्तेमाल के खिलाफ चेतावनी देते हैं, क्योंकि उन्हें बंद जगहों पर इस्तेमाल करने की आवश्यकता होती है। ऐसे में कार्बन डाइऑक्साइड का लेवल घर के अंदर के वातावरण को स्वास्थ्य के लिए खतरनाक बना सकता है। कमरा अच्छे से सील होना जरूरी सोसाइटी फॉर इंडोर एनवायरनमेंट की सह-संस्थापक प्रियंका कुलश्रेष्ठ के अनुसार, एयर प्यूरीफायर की क्षमता मायने रखती है क्योंकि कुछ डिवाइस छोटे क्षेत्रों को कवर करते हैं जबकि अन्य अधिक जगह को कवर करते हैं। एयर प्यूरीफायर चलने के दौरान बंद दरवाजों या खिड़कियों से हवा का लगातार लीकेज होता रहता है। उन्होंने कहा कि अगर कोई कमरा अच्छी तरह से सील है, तो एयर प्यूरीफायर प्री-फिल्टर, HEPA फिल्टर और एक्टिवेटेड कार्बन फिल्टर में फंसकर PM2.5 को मैनेज कर लेगा, लेकिन यह CO2 की समस्या का समाधान नहीं करता है। एयर प्यूरीफायर को लेकर चेतावनी कुलश्रेष्ठ ने कहा कि CO2 की सांद्रता बाहर 400 पार्ट प्रति मिलियन (पीपीएम) और अंदर 1,100 होती है। हालांकि, बंद कमरे में सोते समय, गैस 2000-2500 पीपीएम की सांद्रता तक पहुंच सकती है, जो हानिकारक साबित हो सकती है। उन्होंने कहा कि हम CO2 उत्सर्जित करते हैं। आठ घंटे की नींद में, हमारी सांस छोड़ने से CO2 की सांद्रता 2500 पीपीएम तक बढ़ सकती है, भले ही एयर प्यूरीफायर चालू हो या न हो। उन्होंने एयर प्यूरीफायर का उपयोग करने वाले सभी लोगों के खिलाफ भी चेतावनी दी। कुलश्रेष्ठ ने कहा कि बीमार लोगों के लिए इस डिवाइस को रेकमेंड किया जाता है, लेकिन अगर कोई बच्चा एयर प्यूरीफायर का आदी हो जाता है और फिर बाहर जाता है, चाहे स्कूल जाने के लिए या खेलने के लिए, तो अनफ़िल्टर्ड हवा के संपर्क में आना बहुत ज़्यादा मुश्किल होगा। उन्होंने कमरे में वेंटिलेशन सुनिश्चित करने का सुझाव दिया। साथ ही सुबह-सुबह या देर शाम खिड़कियां न खोलने या N95 मास्क पहनने का सुझाव दिया। कमरा खोलते ही बढ़ जाता है प्रदूषण सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट की शांभवी शुक्ला के अनुसार, प्यूरीफायर कारगर नहीं हैं क्योंकि जैसे ही बंद कमरा खोला जाता है, प्रदूषण बढ़ जाता है। शुक्ला ने कहा कि जब आप कमरे को पूरी तरह से बंद कर देते हैं तो एयर फिल्टर काम करते हैं। लेकिन बंद कमरे में पूरा दिन नहीं रह सकते। इसके अलावा, दरवाजा खोलने या हल्का सा खोलने पर भी कमरे में मौजूद अशुद्ध हवा फिर से ऊपर आ जाती है। हालांकि, इस समय हवा की भयावह स्थिति को देखते हुए एक्सपर्ट्स ने समय-समय पर कमरे को हवादार करते हुए वेंटिलेटर का उपयोग करने का सुझाव दिया है। इससे उनका उपयोग कम हानिकारक होगा।

पंजाब में पराली जलाने की 12000 घटनाएं, लेकिन दीवाली पर सिर धुनने वाले चुप: समझिए क्या कहते हैं आंकड़े

ठंड की शुरुआत होते ही दिल्ली की आवोहवा एक बार फिर बिगड़ गई है। हालात इतने बदतर हो गए हैं कि कई जगहों पर AQI 1,000 के पार पहुँच गया है। स्कूलों को बंद करना पड़ गया है और स्कूली बच्चों की क्लास ऑनलाइन संचालित करनी पड़ रही है। इन सबके बीच सबसे बड़ी बात ये है कि इस बार खराब एयर क्लाविटी के लिए किसी ने दीपावली को दोषी नहीं ठहराया। जो लोग दिल्ली में बढ़ने वाले प्रदूषण के लिए दिवाली को दोषी ठहराते थे, वे इस बार मौन धारण किए हुए हैं। पिछले कई सालों से ऐसे लोग दिल्ली की खराब एयर क्वालिटी के लिए दिवाली में पटाखों को जिम्मेदार ठहराते आए हैं। वामपंथी और अन्य हिंदू विरोधी दिल्ली के प्रदूषण के लिए भले ही दिवाली के पटाखों को जिम्मेदार ठहराएँ लेकिन हकीकत इससे अलग है। प्रदूषण की भूमिका में पटाखों की भूमिका से इनकार नहीं किया जा सकता लेकिन यही कारण इसके लिए जिम्मेदार है…ये पूरी तरह गलत है। ये वो समय होता है जब दिल्ली से सटे पंजाब, हरियाणा और उत्तर प्रदेश जैसे राज्यों में किसान धान की फसल की कटाई करते हैं। इसके बाद खेतों को साफ करने के लिए पराली को जला देते हैं। किसानों को लिए यह सबसे सरल और कम लागत वाला काम होता है लेकिन पराली जलाने के लिए पर्यावरण में भारी मात्रा में धुँआ फैलता है। यह धुँआ हवाओं के साथ दिल्ली की ओर आ जाता है, जिससे प्रदूषण का स्तर बढ़ जाता है। सर्दियों के दिनों में ठंडे के कारण हवा की गति कम हो जाती है। ठंड के कारण धुआँ, धूल जैसे प्रदूषक जमीन के पास एक जगह फंस जाते हैं। वे ऊपर नहीं जा पाते। इसके कारण हवा की गुणवत्ता खराब हो जाती है। लगभग 2 करोड़ से अधिक आबादी वाली दिल्ली क्षेत्र में शहरीकरण के कारण भी प्रदूषण बढ़ता है। लगातार होती निर्माण गतिविधियाँ और बस-कारों से निकलने वाले धुएँ, कचरा और ऊर्जा खपत आदि के कारण प्रदूषण बढ़ता जाता है। दरअसल, इस बार दिवाली ठंड बढ़ने से पहले ही थी। इस कारण दिवाली की रात पटाखे भी छूटे लेकिन उसका इतना असर नहीं दिखा, जितना की हर साल शोर मचाया जाता रहा है। इससे स्पष्ट है कि दिल्ली में प्रदूषण का असली कारण दिवाली पर छोड़े जाने वाले पटाखे नहीं है, बल्कि पड़ोसी राज्यों में जलाए जाने वाले पराली और महानगरों में बसों-कारों का अत्यधिक इस्तेमाल है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट के अध्ययन से पता चलता है कि 12 अक्टूबर से 3 नवंबर 2024 के दौरान वाहनों से निकलने वाले धुएँ का दिल्ली के वायु प्रदूषण में सबसे बड़ा योगदान था। दिल्ली के प्रदूषण के लिए एनसीआर और अन्य क्षेत्रों को छोड़ दे तों यहां के अपने सोर्स का केंद्र शासित प्रदेश के कुल प्रदूषण में हिस्सा 30.34% था। इसमें से वाहनों से निकलने वाले धुएँ की भागीदारी 51.5 प्रतिशत, खेतों में लगी आग का योगदान 8.19 प्रतिशत और धूल के कणों का 3.7 प्रतिशत हिस्सा था। वायु गुणवत्ता तकनीक कंपनी IQAir के अध्ययन से पता चलता है कि प्राकृतिक और मानव निर्मित प्रदूषकों के संयोजन के कारण दिल्ली की वायु गुणवत्ता में गिरावट आ रही है। निर्माण गतिविधियाँ, लैंडफिल का प्रदूषण में खास योगदान है। खाली एवं खुली जमीन और खेत से निकली धूल हवा की गुणवत्ता खराब करते हैं। कचरे को जलाने से हानिकारक धुआँ और कालिख निकलती है, जिससे जहरीले कण और गैसें प्रदूषण में और बढ़ जाती हैं। वाहनों से निकलने वाला कार्बन मोनोऑक्साइड, नाइट्रोजन ऑक्साइड और हाइड्रोकार्बन प्रदूषण को बढ़ाता है। भारतीय कृषि अनुसंधान परिषद (IARC) के आंकड़ों से पता चलता है कि पड़ोसी राज्यों में पराली जलाने की घटनाओं में बीते वर्षों के मुकाबले कुछ कमी जरूर आई है। इसके बाद भी दिल्ली में वायु गुणवत्ता में कुछ खास सुधार नहीं हुआ है। पंजाब में इस वर्ष अब तक पराली जलाए जाने की 12,000 से अधिक घटनाएँ सामने आ चुकी हैं। अगर इन आँकड़ों पर गौर करें तो पता चलता है कि दिवाली के पटाखों पर प्रदूषण की जिम्मेदारी फोड़ने वाले लोग किसी ना किसी एजेंडे की तरह ये काम करते हैं। ऐसा नहीं है कि उन लोगों को इन रिपोर्ट्स की जानकारी नहीं होगी। उन्हें भी होगी और ये पता भी होगा कि इन प्रदूषण में दिल्ली के वाहनों का सबसे बड़ा योगदान है, लेकिन लग्जरी लाइफ जीते हुए आम लोगों की बात करने वाले ऐसे लोग वाहनों में कटौती करने की बात नहीं करेंगे क्योंकि इससे वे सीधे तौर पर प्रभावित होंगे।

Not stubble burning, cars are the main villain in Delhi's apocalyptic air pollution

On November 18, Delhi breathed its worst air ever recorded. With the Air Quality Index at 494, the fourth level of the Graded Response Action Plan snapped into place that morning, putting a stop on all construction activity and the entry of trucks into the city. As the Supreme Court ordered schools to be closed, Delhi government blamed the Centre for failing to control stubble burning, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. However, research shows stubble burning is not the main cause of Delhi’s toxic smog. A study found that, averaged out through the year, stubble burning contributed less than 3% to hazardous particulate matter in 2017. The largest source of air pollution in Delhi is its vehicular load. In 2019, the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a research organisation, analysed several studies that broke down the contribution of air pollution by source. It found that vehicles on the road contributed anywhere between one-third to two-thirds of Delhi’s toxic air in 2018. Confirming this, a study this year by the Centre for Science and Environment found that between mid-October and early November, when farmers burnt paddy stalks to prepare their fields for the next crop, only 8% of air pollution in the national capital region came from stubble burning. Nearly two-thirds of the pollution originated locally, with the transport sector contributing more than half of it. Delhi’s worsening air quality runs parallel to the rise in the number of vehicles on its roads. Between 1990 and 2018, the national capital region saw a five-fold jump in registered vehicles. Delhi surpasses all other Indian cities with 1.18 crore vehicles on the road, over 90% of which are two-wheelers and cars.

Grey skies & red eyes outside, air purifiers only stop-gap aid inside

People are scratching their eyes, clutching their aching heads and having difficulties with breathing. With civic authorities paralysed and unable to do anything to prevent a dome of toxic air covering the city, and the weather playing spoilsport in washing or carrying away the pollutants, technology seems like the last resort. TOI looks at the functioning of devices like air purifiers and tries to understand why even this costly assistive appliance may not fully meet people's needs. While hesitantly calling it a temporary solution, experts caution against the prolonged use of air purifiers, which require them to be used in enclosed spaces, pointing out how carbon dioxide levels could make indoor environments dangerous for health. According to Priyanka Kulshreshtha, co-founder, Society for Indoor Environment, while the capacity of an air purifier matters as some devices cater to smaller areas while others cover more, there is constant leakage of air through locked doors or windows. She said if a room is well sealed, the air purifier will manage the PM2.5 by trapping it in pre-filters, HEPA filters and activated carbon filters, but it does not address the CO2 problem. Kulshreshtha said CO2 concentration is around 400 parts per million (ppm) outdoors and 1,100 indoors. However, while sleeping in a closed room, the gas can reach concentrations of 2000-2500 ppm, which can prove harmful. "We are emitters of CO2. In a sleep lasting eight hours, our exhalation can raise CO2 concentration to up to 2500 ppm, irrespective of whether an air purifier is installed or not," she said. She also cautioned against everyone using air purifiers. "For sick people, the device is recommended," Kulshreshtha said, "but if a child gets accustomed to an air purifier and then goes outdoors, either to go to school or to play, the exposure to unfiltered air would be extreme." She suggested ensuring ventilation in a room, but not opening windows early morning or late evening, or wearing an N95 mask. According to Shambhavi Shukla of the Centre for Science and Environment, purifiers aren't efficient because as soon as a locked room is opened, the pollution shoots up. "Air filters function when you close a room completely. But one cannot be inside a closed room for a whole day. Besides, even a slight crack or short opening of the door would send the impure air in the room shooting up again," said Shukla. However, given the dire air situation at the moment, experts suggested the use of ventilators while ventilating the room from time to time. This would make their use less harmful. Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst, Envirocatalyst, said in any case only a fraction of Indian population could afford air purifiers and most Indian homes weren't designed for such devices. "A majority of people live in houses that aren't sealed or isolated from the outside, which means outdoor polluted air will keep entering, reducing the usefulness of air purifiers. And staying indoors can take a toll on mental health," he said. "Purifiers can't shield us from high pollution levels. They only give us temporary relief, that too for a very limited population who can afford the device or have houses that are sealed properly," said Dahiya.

City air turns ‘very poor’, smog still hangs heavy

Gurgaon: The city's average air quality improved a notch to settle at ‘very poor' on Wednesday, but two of the four monitoring stations still recorded pollution readings as ‘severe'. The 24-hour air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 374 on Wednesday, an improvement from two days of ‘severe' air on Monday and Tuesday. Experts said this improvement was because of winds that helped disperse pollutants suspended in the cold atmosphere. But parts of Gurgaon still recorded ‘severe' air quality. The Sector 51 monitoring station, which covers densely populated areas such as sectors 29, 46, 47, 50, 51, 52 and 57, logged average AQI at 435 on Wednesday. The station, where the AQI count was the highest in the city, is located close to highrises, hospitals, schools and markets within a 10km radius. The Gwalpahari station, at 428 AQI, was close behind. This station is close to the Gurgaon-Faridabad road, Golf Course road and several highrises. The remaining two stations at Vikas Sadan and Teri Gram recorded AQI in ‘very poor' categories. Experts pointed out that local emissions were to blame for these pollution hotspots. "We can't say this is relief because there are areas where AQI is severe. The situation may worsen if a strong western disturbance doesn't lift the pollutants," said Shubhansh Tiwari, research associate at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Asked about local emissions, Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) officials admitted there were several pollution hotspots in the city. "We have already mapped the hotspots and shared the locations with MCG to immediately look into the matter and initiate appropriate action," an HSPCB official said. Residents said open waste burning and other activities restricted under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) were still being carried out blatantly. "There's a constant burning smell in the sector, especially in the morning hours, for the past two days. I was alarmed on Sunday when my elderly parent started having an asthma attack," said Avnish Kapur, a resident of Sector 57. Officials of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) said they have issued closure notices to six ready-mix cement factories and seven other units since Friday, when the fourth stage of GRAP restrictions were imposed to curb air pollution. Around Rs 5.5 crore environmental compensation has been imposed on sites found to be flouting the norms in the last six days, officials added. With fog finally dissipating across the region, there's hope that the air quality may improve sooner. Signs of improvement were seen on Wednesday night as Delhi's average AQI fell to 400 (in ‘very poor' range) by 10pm. In Nov so far, Delhi has witnessed seven severe days. Of these, the city has been reporting consecutive days of severe days since Nov 16, including two ‘severe plus' days on Nov 18 and 19. With an AQI of 494, Nov 18 was the second most polluted day on record. In contrast, Nov last year saw nine severe days, but the longest consecutive streak was of four days. Dec 2023 saw three consecutive severe days. In 2022, Nov and Dec recorded a total of three and two severe days.

‘Red alert’ as temperatures cross 1.5 degrees for 16 months straight

From January to September this year, global mean surface temperatures crossed 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, making it the second year in a row to cross this temperature threshold for a sustained period of time. The World Meteorological Organisation said 2024 was on track to replace 2023 as the hottest year ever, “turbo-charged by ever-increasing greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere.” The announcement of a “red alert” was made in the WMO’s flagship State of the Climate report, which was updated and released on the first day of the COP29, which is ongoing in Baku, Azerbaijan. At the COP, countries are negotiating global climate policies to prevent a long-term, decadal breach of temperatures above 1.5 degrees Celsius. Temperatures have already reached 1.1 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Greenhouse gas emissions responsible for causing this global heating need to drop by 42% in the next six years to keep warming within 1.5 degrees. But instead, emissions are expected to reach a record high of 41.6 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (GtCO2) – 2% more than 2023 levels. “The record-breaking rainfall and flooding, rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones, deadly heat, relentless drought and raging wildfires that we have seen in different parts of the world this year are unfortunately our new reality and a foretaste of our future,” said Celeste Saulo, WMO Secretary-General, in a statement. The abnormal warming this year was boosted by a strong El Nino, and will result in both 2023 and 2024 being the two warmest on record. It also marks “the warmest ten years in the 175-year observational record,” the WMO report said, calling it an unprecedented amount of warming “in a single generation.” For India, this means escalating droughts, floods, heatwaves, and cyclones, among other extreme weather events. As surface temperatures soared to 1.54 degrees above preindustrial levels globally between January and September this year, India witnessed extreme weather events on 255 of the 274 in the same period. Sea ice and glacier loss The unusual warming over the last 16 months (from June 2023 to September 2024) has resulted in record lows of sea-ice in the poles, and glacier loss in mountain ranges. The extent of glacier loss, measured as global annual mass balance, was “nominally the largest loss of ice on record,” in 2023 since 1950, the WMO report says. The negative mass balance of 1.2 meters of water equivalent “corresponds to a volume of water discharged by the Amazon River in about one month, or approximately 5 times as much water as there is in the Dead Sea.” The Antarctic sea-ice extent reached its annual minimum of 2.0 million km on 20 February, the second lowest extent in the satellite record since 1979, the report says. The lowest was in 2023. Over the last two decades, ocean warming has also shown “a particularly strong increase,” at a rate that corresponds to an average absorption of approximately 3.1 million terawatt-hours (TWh) of heat each year from 2005-2023. This is “more than 18 times the world’s energy consumption in 2023.” “We urgently need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen our monitoring and understanding of our changing climate,” said Saulo of the WMO, adding, “Whether it is at a level below or above 1.5°C of warming, every additional increment of global warming increases climate extremes, impacts and risks.” Extreme weather in India According to the India Meteorological Department, surface temperatures across the country have increased by 0.7 degrees Celsius between 1901 and 2018. Warming trends in India mirrored global levels – the summers of 2023 and 2024 were among the warmest ever. The Centre for Science and Environment put together a record of extreme weather event days in India, as an attempt to “build an evidence base on the frequency and expanding geography of extreme weather events in India.”