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City In Greyscale: Season’s First Fog, ‘Severe’ Air Day

A thick layer of greyish haze enveloped the city on Wednesday as Delhi recorded the first ‘severe' day of the season. According to the Central Pollution Control Board's bulletin released at 4pm, the Air Quality Index (AQI) soared to 418 -- the highest AQI in the country. Delhi had last recorded a higher AQI on Jan 14, at 447. The season also saw its first very dense fog, with visibility dropping to zero at Palam from 8am to 9.30am. The lowest visibility at Safdarjung, the city's base station, was recorded at 200 metres at 7am. As visibility remained low throughout the day and the sun hardly made an appearance, the maximum temperature dipped to the season's lowest -- 27.8 degrees Celsius -- five degrees lower than the previous day. The minimum temperature was recorded at 17 degrees Celsius, three degrees above normal. The AQI rose rapidly from 334 on Tuesday at 4pm to 366 at 9am on Wednesday and further to 451 at 8pm. However, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) called it an "episodic event" and decided not to impose stringent restrictive measures under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). According to experts, meteorological conditions, including dense fog, calm wind and low temperature, caused the trapping of pollutants. CPCB's data shows most of the city's stations reported air quality in the ‘severe' category. "Persistent fog means there is no movement of air, leading to calm wind conditions. The focus should be on reducing pollution at the source level," said Dipankar Saha, former head of CPCB's air laboratory. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, "Calm and cold weather conditions are deepening now. With reduced natural ventilation, pollution build-up will be intense. There has to be effective enforcement to prevent worsening of the situation. But that needs to happen at scale. The solution will come from sustained and longer-term action." According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), dense fog with visibility below 200 metres was witnessed at Palam from 6am to 10am. The visibility improved to 900 metres around 2pm, and remained at 1,100 metres till 7pm. However, at Safdarjung, the visibility was recorded up to 400 metres till 9.30am and improved further to 500 metres at 12.30pm. Fog is defined when the visibility is below 1,000 metres and there is high humidity of above 75%. However, smog is the merging of fog with smoke and other pollutants. "Delhi recorded high humidity of 85-100% till 11.30am. During the noon, smog conditions were recorded as the humidity level reduced and visibility improved," said a Met official. The contribution of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 was 17.85% on Tuesday, according to the Decision Support System. In the last winter season, the first dense fog was observed on Dec 2, 2023, when the visibility reduced to 100 metres from 6.30am to 9.30am at Palam, according to IMD's data. However, the main spell of dense fog lasting for many days began on Dec 24 night in 2023. "This year, Pakistan's Punjab side has been recording dense fog since Dec 9. It was also observed in Amritsar. The formation of dense fog slowly started spreading to other parts, as it was seen in Punjab and Haryana on Nov 11. On Wednesday, it was formed in Delhi and parts of west UP," said R K Jenamani, senior scientist, IMD. The Met department has issued an ‘orange' alert for very dense to dense fog for Thursday. The minimum temperature is likely to dip to 14 degrees Celsius by Nov 19 while the maximum temperature is predicted to hover around 28-29 degrees Celsius over the next seven days. CAQM, which reviewed the air quality, said it was informed by IMD/IITM during the meeting that an unprecedented extremely dense fog was reported over Delhi and adjoining regions, resulting in the city's overall AQI moving to the ‘severe' category. "It was noted this steep rise in AQI of Delhi (was) owing to this episodic event, since morning. However, owing to stronger winds, the pollutant concentration and, thereby, the AQI, is expected to start showing a declining trend tomorrow (Thursday) onwards and the AQI is likely to move back to the ‘very poor' category the next day," CAQM wrote on X on Wednesday. The commission said it is keeping a close watch on the air quality situation before invoking the stringent or restrictive measures under stage III of GRAP. CAQM will again review the air quality on Thursday.

Delhi-NCR chokes under thick smog for second day as AQI hits ‘severe’ level – WATCH

A dense, suffocating blanket of smog continued to shroud Delhi on Thursday morning, with the city’s air quality declining since Wednesday when it was already recorded as the most polluted city in India. The air quality index (AQI) in various areas of Delhi dipped to alarming levels, crossing into the “severe” category. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board at 7 a.m., Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 473, Dwarka 458, RK Puram 454, Mundka 460, and Chandni Chowk 407. The crisis on Wednesday marked the first time this winter season that the AQI had dropped into the severe category, significantly reducing visibility and raising health concerns across the city. According to the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM), the severe air quality was partly attributed to an “unprecedentedly dense” fog that trapped pollutants close to the ground, worsening air quality. However, the CAQM has forecasted that stronger winds expected from Thursday onwards should help disperse some pollutants, likely easing the AQI into the “very poor” category. A Season of Poor Air Quality Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, pointed out that while November is typically the period of severe air quality, this year, atmospheric variability delayed this trend. However, Roychowdhury noted that October recorded a higher number of “poor” and “very poor” AQI days compared to previous years, suggesting that overall pollution levels are still trending dangerously high. She explained that while Diwali celebrations often tip the scales with episodic pollution, this year’s Diwali emissions were less impactful due to relatively warmer conditions. Despite the seasonal dip in temperature and meteorological factors that intensify pollution levels, experts also emphasise that Delhi’s annual emissions remain well above permissible limits. These excessive emissions come from various sources, including vehicular emissions, industrial activities, construction dust, and crop stubble burning in neighbouring states.

142 extreme weather event days in Maha this year, up from 106 in 2023

Pune: Maharashtra witnessed extreme weather events every second day in 2024, showed a study on the country's climate. The study, titled ‘Climate India 2024: An Assessment of Extreme Weather Events' and published by Centre for Science and Environment on Nov 8, showed that from 106 extreme weather event days from Jan to Sept in 2023, the number went up to 142 in the state during the same period this year. The study also linked weather to crop loss over 19.5 lakh hectares in Maharashtra, highest in the country, and also 208 human casualties in 2024. The highest number of extreme weather days in Maharashtra were with heavy rain, floods, and landslides (79 days), followed by lightning and storms (76 days) and heatwaves (15 days). Researchers associated with the study used lightning and storms, cold waves, heavy rain, floods and landslides, heatwaves, cloudbursts, and cyclones as parameters. "Climate change has made extreme weather events more frequent across the globe. In certain cases, the events have become more intense. At the core of this challenge is our consumption rate, which surged since the industrial revolution. Climate change touches every aspect of life, with the poorest and most marginalised communities bearing the brunt. In cases of severe weather events, these areas not only face immediate devastation but also suffer long-term setbacks in terms of development," said Rajit Sengupta, co-author of the study. The study gathered data from IMD and ministry of home affairs' "Situation Report Regarding Flood/Heavy Rainfall in the Country" report from Jan to Sept 2024. Thirty-five out of 36 states and UTs (excluding Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu) recorded extreme weather events this year. "This reinforces the well-established reality that extreme weather is a chronic and escalating challenge for India. While India made significant progress in predicting extreme weather events, there is still room for improvement in its early warning systems to ensure that those at risk are alerted and rescued in time. Additionally, the country must enhance its ability to estimate loss and damage more accurately and expand insurance coverage to better protect communities from the devastating impacts of extreme weather," said Sengupta. In 2023, the state recorded 173 human casualties with extreme weather events on 106 days. According to the researchers, most of these deaths occurred during monsoon. From May to Sept this year, 204 deaths occurred due to the extreme weather events in Maharashtra, the climate study showed.

As Delhi turns gas chamber, what should we ban today?

On November 13, a day after the Supreme Court suggested a year-round cracker ban, Delhi woke up to one of its worst bad-air days. Diwali was celebrated on October 31, and 14 days is a period long enough for crackers smoke to clear. That is what brings us to the question -- what should we ban today? The question is pertinent because Delhi saw 61 'good' and 'satisfactory' air days last year. Bad air is a perennial problem and helps Delhi top the ignominious chart of world's most-polluted cities. November 13 saw the worst air quality as the Air Quality Index (AQI) spiked to 429. The Delhi and NCR areas plummeted to the 'severe' category for the first time this season. Delhiites and judges of the Supreme Court, by sheer fortune that it is based in Delhi, get to breathe toxic year all round the year, but come November, everyone realises how bad things have become. DIWALI AND PARALI BLAMED, BUT POLLUTION ALL-YEAR ROUND But come November, there's the need for a fall guy. And there are two -- Diwali and parali (stubble). So, why look beyond? It is a coming together of several factors that make Delhi a gas chamber in November. A November 5 report by the Hindustan Times, quoting data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), shows Delhi had just 201 days this year when the AQI was 200 or less. In 2023, Delhi had one 'good', 60 'satisfactory' and 145 'moderate' air days, with a total of 206 clean-air days, according to the report. Spending close to half the year breathing toxic air, there is definitely the need to look for a long-term solution, but the fixation on Diwali and parali might be reducing the visibility. On November 12, the Supreme Court questioned why there wasn't a permanent, nationwide ban on firecrackers, and restrictions were applied only during specific months in Delhi. It rightly pointed out that air pollution remains a year-round issue in the national capital. CORRECT DIAGNOSIS BUT BETTER TREATMENT NEEDED Though the diagnosis is correct, there seems to be a problem in pinpointing the source of the ailment. "We are of the view that no religion encourages any activity which creates pollution. If firecrackers are burnt in this fashion, it also affects the fundamental right to health of the citizens," the Supreme Court observed as it heard a case on air pollution in Delhi. Air Quality Index (AQI) data for a week around Diwali in Delhi shows firecrackers have no visible impact. The research on the impact of Diwali on pollution also does not show a long-lasting impact. The research paper titled, 'Estimates of air pollution in Delhi from the burning of firecrackers during the festival of Diwali' by Dhananjay Ghei and Renuka Sane didn't find conclusive evidence on the impact of Diwali fireworks on air quality. Even stubble-burning does not contribute as much to Delhi's pollution as is commonly believed. A new study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a Delhi-based environmental think tank, states that stubble burning is responsible for only 8 percent of Delhi's air pollution. What is also concerning is that perceived solutions have become part of the city's problem. The waste-to-energy plants that were first set up under Congress leader Sheila Dikshit have backfired. They are adding to the toxic fumes of Delhi. There is GRAP for a city grappling with pollution woes, but those are emergency measures that kick in when the situation goes from worse to worse. With the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), Delhi will ban one half of its vehicles and cover up its construction sites. Those are all stop-gap measures. What is the permanent solution, and who is going to come up with it? Those two are the most questions that must be on the minds of gasping Delhiites on November the 13 as the city, once again, turns into a gas chamber. It is time we looked beyond what to ban today.

कागजी प्लान, सिर्फ ऐलान और धुआं-धुआं आसमान... दिल्ली-NCR को क्यों पॉल्यूशन से नहीं मिल पा रही मुक्ति?

देश में मौसम करवट ले रहा है और दिल्ली-एनसीआर में दमघोंटू हवाएं बीमार करने लगी हैं. पूरा शहर फॉग और स्मॉग की चपेट में है. एयर पॉल्यूशन के बीच धुंध और क...

Women Over 50 Are Leading On Climate Action

Sunita Narain, Director of the Centre for Science and Environment Sunita Narain is an influential environmentalist and director of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Since 1982, she has advocated for sustainable development and environmental policies in India. She co-edited the 1985 State of India’s Environment Report and later wrote 'Towards Green Villages.' Sunita led the successful CNG initiative in Delhi to reduce air pollution and raised global awareness on climate change. She was named one of Time’s 100 most influential people in 2016.

Delhi smog explained: Why air turned hazardous and early respite looks bleak

It’s not just Delhi that is under a blanket of the annual early-winter smog, making the city’s air hazardous for its 20 million residents. The entire National Capital Region (NCR), which includes Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad and Ghaziabad, is reeling from the onslaught of very high concentration of particulate matter (PM) in the air. On November 13, Delhi woke up to a layer of thick smog that severely impaired visibility on the roads in the early hours. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI (air quality index)—a standard benchmark to gauge the severity of pollution—reading hovered at an average 418 (“severe”) over the past 24 hours. CPCB data showed that around 18 per cent of the air pollutants were from stubble-burning by farmers in Punjab and Haryana. Predictably, Gurugram had “very poor” air (an average AQI of 321). Ghaziabad, Greater Noida and Noida too were in the “very poor” range, with average AQI values of 350. AQI readings show the concentration of PM2.5 (very fine particulate matter that poses grave health risks) and the larger PM10 suspended in the air. Haryana’s industrial areas, such as Bahadurgarh and Ballabgarh, too are battling “very poor” air. In Uttar Pradesh, Bulandshahr and Baghpat have reported AQI numbers between 300 and 350. Clearly, the problem extends beyond Delhi, affecting millions across Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and even parts of Rajasthan. Despite many dissuasive efforts, including the threat of financial penalties, many farmers in Delhi’s neighbouring states continue to burn crop stubble, worsening air pollution. Data monitored by the CPCB shows 7,029 stubble-burning instances in Punjab and over 1,000 in Haryana since September 15 this year. As on November 11, stubble-burning contributed about 18 per cent to Delhi’s PM2.5 levels. Though lower than past years, it remains significant and shows the problem’s scale. Punjab’s 7,029 fires since September 15 were 70 per cent fewer than the 23,730 fires reported in the corresponding period in 2023 and 82 per cent fewer than the 40,677 fires in 2022. Haryana reported 1,008 fires since September 15. Last year, the figure was 1,703 fires and 2,880 in 2022. These numbers show some progress in how crop stubble is being managed. Nevertheless, many farmers continue with this way of clearing their fields for sowing the next crop, releasing pollutants into the NCR’s stagnant winter air. The NCR’s main problem is high levels of PM2.5, a pollutant under 2.5 microns in size. For perspective, a single PM2.5 particle is about 1/30th the width of human hair and roughly 40 times smaller than a fine grain of sand. PM2.5 particles can go deep into the lungs, potentially triggering breathing problems, heart trouble, worsening asthma and even causing cancer in the long term. They even reach the bloodstream. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends no more than average 25 µg/m3 (micrograms) of PM2.5 exposure over 24 hours. In Delhi, the exposure is multiple times higher. As winter sets in, the AQI trends in NCR show air quality is rapidly worsening. Delhi invariably has “very poor” to “severe” AQI levels at this time of the year. CPCB records don’t show many “good” air days. In 2023, AQI was already in “very poor” range in November. That remains unchanged this year. What’s worse, weather forecasts in the near future suggest winds not strong enough to dispel the pollutants, which means air quality will stay “very poor”. The not-for-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), in its latest analysis of government data, has found that vehicles continue to be the highest contributor to Delhi’s bad air. “The average PM2.5 concentration has almost stagnated and is the highest in the past five years. Peaks can be highly variable due to the atmospheric conditions. But the increase in average level is a matter of worry,” says Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), CSE. There was a 9 per cent increase in average concentration in air pollution in 2023-24 as against 2019-20, the CSE’s analysis found. “This upward trend reflects elevated levels of pollution and the high impact of atmospheric conditions. It needs immediate action,” says Roychowdhury.

Take your breath away: Foul air continues to engulf Punjab despite dip in stubble burning. What’s to blame?

Punjab has been experiencing deteriorating air quality for the last few days despite a drop in crop residue burning cases, raising questions what’s to blame for the conditions. If in previous years when a big part of the leftover crop residue was being burnt in fields that affected the air quality, why under fewer stubble burning cases, such conditions are persisting, asked farmers and agronomists . “Many sections of society, including the judiciary, had been finding fault in stubble burning in worsening of the air quality of the National Capital Region at the onset of winter. Now, when farm fires have drastically decreased, why the authorities are not ready to accept that stubble burning has least contribution to it. Even Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in its report has stated that stubble burning has a very low contribution to the air quality of Delhi in the initial part of Oct,” said farmer leaders Joginder Singh Ugrahan and Sarvan Singh Pandher. Visibility at various places across Punjab had reached up to zero levels on Tuesday, with even flights getting affected in Amritsar. Questions are being rai sed whether it is smog or fog that is engulfing the region. The issue came to the fore when the plane of the Vice President failed to land at Ludhiana on Tuesday due to low visibility, with smog from stubble burning being blamed for it. Punjab Agricultural University principal agrometeorologist K K Gill said, “Going by the circumstances, it seems a mixture of smog and fog is engulfing the region. Polluting dust and aerosol particles have been hanging in the air since Diwali, leading to smog and hazy conditions”. She added that as the wind speed is minimal, pollutants, including aerosols and dust particles, are in the air, leading to smog. Stubble burning too has a contribution to it apart from firecrackers. Another abnormality is the minimum temperature hovering up to 8°C above normal in Punjab, a rise seen after nearly 54 years. Gill said as sunshine is not reaching the earth’s surface, low wind speed is aggravating the problem, and pollutants are not shifting. “Lower than normal temperatures are required for foggy conditions, but we are witnessing much higher minimum temperatures, especially at nights, which is up to 8°C in certain areas, she added.

At UN climate talks, nations big and small get chance to bear witness to climate change

More than two dozen world leaders are delivering remarks at the United Nations’ annual climate conference Wednesday, with many hard-hit nations detailing their nations’ firsthand experience with the catastrophic weather that has come with climate change. Leader after leader recounted climate disasters, with each one seeming to top the other. Grenada’s prime minister Dickon Mitchell detailed a 15-month drought at the beginning of the year giving way to a Category 5 Hurricane Beryl. “At this very moment, as I stand here yet again, my island has been devastated by flash flooding, landslides and the deluge of excessive rainfall, all in the space of a matter of a couple hours,” Mitchell said. “It may be small island developing states today. It will be Spain tomorrow. It will be Florida the day after. It’s one planet.” Small island nations call for stronger climate action Grenada’s premier wasn’t the only small island nation leader who came with fighting words. Prime minister Philip Edward Davis warned that “it will be our children and grandchildren who bear the burden, their dreams reduced to memories of what could have been.” “We do not — cannot — accept that our survival is merely an option,” Davis said. Gaston Browne, the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, highlighted the “inverted morality” of big emitters who aren’t taking responsibility for their impacts on countries who have the most to lose. He said high-polluting nations are “deliberately burning the planet.” Past promises of financial aid went unfulfilled for too long, so small island nations will have to seek justice and compensation in international courts, Browne said. Marshall Islands president Hilda Heine called the climate crisis “the most pressing security threat” her country faces, but said she thinks the Paris Agreement process — where countries agreed to limit warming to 1.5 degrees (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times — is resilient. Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev took the opportunity to align his country with the predicament of small island developing states in a speech where he called out developed countries, in particular France and the Netherlands, for their colonial histories. He described the harms of colonialism that continue today. Biodiversity loss, rising seas and extreme weather hit communities that are often “ruthlessly suppressed,” he said. The United States also tried to show sympathy to hard-hit places. “Do we secure prosperity for our countries or do we condemn our most vulnerable to unimaginable climate disasters?” United States chief climate envoy John Podesta said. “Vulnerable communities do not just need ambition. They need action.” European leaders recount a year of extreme weather European nations also warned of climate catastrophe on their continent. “Over the past year, catastrophic floods in Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as in southern Croatia have shown the devastating impact of rising temperatures,” said Croatia’s prime minister, Andrej Plenkovic. “The Mediterranean, one of the most vulnerable regions, calls for urgent action.” Albania Prime Minister Edi Rama said he was dismayed by the lack of political action and political will and leaders of many nations not showing up at climate talks as extreme weather strikes harder and more frequently. Frustrated with other leaders mere talk, Rama decried that “life goes on with old habits” and all these speeches filled with good intent change nothing. “What is happening in Europe and around the world today doesn’t leave much room for optimism, though optimism is the only way of survival,” Rama said. Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Europe and the world needs to be “more honest” about the trade-offs needed to keep global temperatures down. “We need to ask hard questions about a path that goes very fast, at the expense of our competitiveness, and a path that goes some much slower, but allows our industry to adapt and to thrive,” he said. His nation this summer was hammered by successive heat waves after three years of below-average rainfall. The misery included water shortages, dried-up lakes and the death of wild horses. Ireland environment minister Eamon Ryan channeled some hope, saying that the 2015 Paris climate treaty “still lives” and that countries who drop out will realize they are falling behind as other countries move forward and see benefits to their economies. Negotiators labor on for elusive deal on money Negotiators at the summit are looking to hammer out a deal on how much money, and in what form, developed countries will pledge for adapting to climate change and transitioning to clean energy for developing nations. On Wednesday morning, an early draft of what that final deal will look like was released, but it still contained multiple options that negotiators will wrestle over to reach a consensus by the end of the climate talks. David Waskow, director of international climate action at the World Resources Institute said the latest 34-page draft reflects “all of the options on the table.” “Negotiators now need to work to boil it down to some key decisions” that can be worked on at the second half of the summit. The latest draft “does incorporate some new demands” including an ask for one of the largest negotiating blocs — the G77 plus China — for $1.3 trillion in climate finance, said Avantika Goswami, a climate policy analyst with the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. “Developing countries have been clear that a provisional goal must be carved out to hold developed country governments to account,” she said. In a veiled reference to China, Germany’s climate envoy Jennifer Morgan said all climate-polluting countries should make contributions to climate funds, one of the most contentious issues being debated at the climate talks in Baku this year. “There are countries that have been successful and prosperous over the last years since 1992, and they also can make a great contribution to getting funds into developing countries,” she said.

Delhi Chokes under "Severe" smog: AQI plummets, visibility vanishes

A dense haze hangs heavy over Delhi, casting an ominous pall over the city as its air quality plunges to alarming levels. For the second consecutive day, Delhiites are grappling with "severe" air pollution, a stark reminder of the persistent environmental challenges facing the national capital. AQI readings paint a grim picture The air quality index (AQI) has soared across various monitoring stations, with some areas recording alarmingly high figures: Anand Vihar: 473 Dwarka: 458 RK Puram: 454 Mundka: 460 Chandni Chowk: 407 These readings, taken by the Central Pollution Control Board, signify that the air is not just unhealthy but poses significant health risks, especially for vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions. Visibility impairment and health hazards The smog has drastically reduced visibility, with IGI Airport reporting a mere 300 meters of visibility. This poses risks not only for transportation but also for public health. The high concentration of particulate matter, particularly PM2.5, can penetrate deep into the lungs, leading to respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases, and even cancer. Unprecedented fog and delayed severity While Delhi typically experiences a dip in air quality during winter, the severity this year has been delayed. Experts attribute this to an unusually dense fog that has trapped pollutants close to the ground. However, this doesn't diminish the long-term concerns about air pollution in Delhi. October's "Poor" air quality days Anumita Roychowdhury, an environmental expert, points out that October saw a higher number of "poor" and "very poor" AQI days compared to previous years. While Diwali fireworks usually exacerbate pollution, their impact was less significant this year due to warmer temperatures. However, the underlying issue of excessive annual emissions remains a major concern. Government response and curbing pollution In response to the deteriorating air quality, the Delhi government has implemented emergency measures, including: Construction ban: Halting construction and demolition activities to reduce dust pollution. Vehicle restrictions: Banning BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers to control vehicular emissions. These measures aim to mitigate the immediate impact of the pollution crisis. However, long-term solutions require a comprehensive approach to address the root causes of Delhi's air pollution.

दिल्ली में प्रदूषण बढ़ने के बाद GRAP-3 की पाबंदियां लागू, किन चीजों पर लगा प्रतिबंध?

दिल्ली में बढ़ते वायु प्रदूषण के बाद ग्रेडेड रिस्पांस एक्शन प्लान (GRAP) के तीसरे चरण के प्रतिबंध लागू किए जाएंगे। कल (15 नवंबर) की सुबह से ये पाबंदियां लागू हो जाएंगी। दिल्ली में बढ़ते वायु प्रदूषण के बाद ये फैसला लिया गया है। आज सुबह औसतन वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (AQI) 426 दर्ज किया गया, जो 'गंभीर' श्रेणी में आता है। बढ़ते प्रदूषण के चलते दिल्ली दुनिया में दूसरा सबसे प्रदूषित शहर हो गया है। प्रतिबंध किन-किन चीजों पर रहेगा प्रतिबंध? GRAP-3 में BS-III वाले पेट्रोल वाहनों और BS-IV के डीजल वाहनों को दिल्ली और राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र (NCR) में प्रवेश पर प्रतिबंध रहेगा। पूरे NCR में निर्माण और तोड़फोड़ गतिविधियों पर प्रतिबंध और खनन से जुड़ी गतिविधियों पर रोक रहेगी। रोजाना प्रमुख सड़कों पर पानी का छिड़काव किया जाएगा। बता दें कि AQI 401 से 450 के बीच होने पर GRAP के तीसरे चरण की पाबंदियां लागू की जाती हैं। गतिविधियां इन गतिविधियों पर भी रहेगी रोक गैर-इलेक्ट्रिक, CNG और BS-VI डीजल अंतरराज्यीय बसों पर प्रतिबंध रहेगा। दिल्ली-NCR की कच्ची सड़कों पर गाड़ियां नहीं चलेंगी। मलबे का एक जगह से दूसरी जगह ले जाना बंद रहेगा। ईंट-भट्ठे भी बंद कर दिए जाएंगे। दिल्ली-NCR में सभी स्टोन क्रशर बंद रहेंगे। आपातकालीन उद्देश्यों में भी डीजल जनरेटर के इस्तेमाल पर रोक। औद्योगिक स्तर के वेल्डिंग और गैस-कटिंग कार्य पर भी रोक रहेगी। घरेलू स्तर पर सीमेंटिंग, प्लास्टर और मरम्मत/रखरखाव को छोड़कर इससे संबंधित बड़ी गतिविधियों पर रोक। आपने 50% पढ़ लिया है मौसम आज कैसा था दिल्ली की हवा का हाल? केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (CPCB) द्वारा जारी सुबह 7 बजे के आंकड़ों के अनुसार, दिल्ली के कई इलाकों में AQI "गंभीर" श्रेणी में पहुंच गया है। आनंद विहार का AQI 473, द्वारका का 458, आरके पुरम का 454, मुंडका का 460 और चांदनी चौक का 407 दर्ज किया गया। 39 मॉनिटरिंग स्टेशनों में से 32 ने AQI का स्तर 400 से ज्यादा दर्ज किया है। इसके अलावा एयरपोर्ट और पटपड़गंज में भी AQI 'गंभीर' श्रेणी में रहा। वजह दिल्ली में प्रदूषण की क्या है वजह? सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) के सर्वे के मुताबिक, दिल्ली के वायु प्रदूषण में स्थानीय स्रोतों का योगदान लगभग 30 प्रतिशत है। इनमें सड़क की धूल, निर्माण गतिविधियों से प्रदूषण या दिवाली उत्सव के दौरान जलाए गए पटाखों की तुलना में वाहन से निकलने वाले उत्सर्जन की हिस्सेदारी सबसे बड़ी है। इसके अलावा पड़ोसी राज्यों में फैलने वाले प्रदूषण की हिस्सेदारी लगभग 35 प्रतिशत है। पंजाब और हरियाणा में पराली जलाना प्रदूषण में 8.19 प्रतिशत का योगदान देता है।

Carbon market deal done? Experts wary

The United National Climate Conference (COP29) presidency has claimed early success with the adoption of standards for carbon credits, referred to as Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement, a long-debated framework designed to help nations collaborate on reducing carbon emissions. But, critics say it was pushed without adequate scrutiny and would lead to greenwashing as there are not enough safeguards. Yalchin Rafiyev, COP29 lead negotiator, told the media, “This will be a game-changing tool to direct resources to the developing world and help us save up to $250 billion a year when implementing our climate plans.” Harjeet Singh, Global Engagement Director for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, said, “Fast-tracking carbon market rules at the start of COP29 sets a troubling precedent.” Greenwashing worry via the carbon market deal “Unlike COP28’s positive example of operationalising the Loss and Damage Fund, which had the support and approval of all countries, this approach sidesteps comprehensive consultation with nations and civil society. These rushed rules open the door to weak, false ‘solutions’ that will only delay real climate action,” Harjeet Singh told this newspaper. Article 6, offers two options for trading: countries can enter into bilateral agreements and set their own rules, or they can participate in a United Nations-supervised market open to all. This UN supervised carbon market, in which the credit price will be fixed by the market players but embedded with third party accreditation, has several loopholes which can be easily exploited. Critics argue that the benefits of Article 6 are far from guaranteed. Climate activists and experts highlight significant risks, such as potential human rights abuses and ‘greenwashing’, in which polluters can claim environmental progress without genuinely reducing emissions. Some carbon credit projects, like large-scale reforestation, risk displacing Indigenous communities if not carefully managed. Aarti Gupta, environmental policy group, Department of Social Sciences in Wageningen University, says Article 6 could prioritise carbon trading over direct climate finance, which is dangerous and undermines the Paris Agreement’s goals. However, Martin Hession, Vice-Chair of the Article 6.4 of the Supervisory Body, told this newspaper, “there are enough safeguards to thwart greenwashing in the carbon crediting mechanism. Third party verification is integral. But, individual countries must also ensure the quality of credits. We are setting high-quality standards. We have many provisions to ensure local communities are consulted.” Endorsement rushed through, says expert “If the negotiating parties requested recommendations from the supervisory body and have reviewed them for two years, the recommendations were significant enough to warrant discussion before adoption as standards. The revised recommendation has issues, like the lack of a definition for the durability of carbon removals,” said Trishant Dev, from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)

Trump Is President Again, and It’s Bad News For the Climate

On November 6, Donald Trump was elected the 47th US president. This will be Trump’s second term as president. US stock markets soared after Trump’s victory. Even India’s market rallied, boosting investor wealth by Rs 7.75 trillion by one estimate. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among the first leaders to congratulate Trump, said that he was “looking forward to working closely” with Trump once again “to further strengthen India-US relations across technology, defence, energy, space and several other sectors”. But many are unhappy. Scientists, environmentalists and activists have noted Trump’s win in the US elections with much concern, for Trump, a climate denier and sceptic, has been very clear about his thoughts about climate change and climate action: he has called global warming a “hoax”. Even during his campaign for the just-concluded US elections, he said that people were talking about ‘oceans rising’ (he meant sea levels rising), but “who the hell cares?”. One of the guarantees his campaign this year rode on was that with Trump at the helm, the US would tap into new reserves of fossil fuels. Some called Trump’s victory in the US elections on Wednesday a “black day” for climate; a former environment minister of Brazil called it “the planet’s biggest civilisational and climatic step backwards”. There are ways that Trump’s ascent to the presidency could also affect India, especially with regard to exports, because some of India’s clean energy technology is exported to the US. But when it comes to climate action, many are clear: Trump’s re-emergence as US president may, at the most, stall – not deter – the US’s and the world’s transition to clean energy. The climate background The past week has been momentous with news that has been coming in regarding climate change and its impacts, with regions experiencing different types of extreme weather events that are claiming lives and causing huge economic, environmental and social losses and damages. Spain is still struggling in the aftermath of one of the deadliest flash floods that the country has ever witnessed. Intense rains on October 29 aggravated by climate change killed more than 200, and more than 70 are still missing. On November 8, parts of northeast Spain witnessed new flash floods. On November 7, the Copernicus Climate Change Service – which is part of the European Union’s space programme and releases monthly climate bulletins – released data that shows that it was “virtually certain” the year 2024 would be the warmest year and that the first year when global warming has breached the 1.5°C mark above pre-industrial levels. October 2024 was the second-warmest October globally, after October 2023, in terms of surface air temperatures. “After ten months of 2024 it is now virtually certain that 2024 will be the warmest year on record and the first year of more than 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels according to the ERA5 dataset,” commented Samantha Burgess, deputy director of Copernicus, in a press release. “This marks a new milestone in global temperature records and should serve as a catalyst to raise ambition for the upcoming Climate Change Conference, COP29.” article image ALSO READ Deaths, Destruction on the Rise Due to Extreme Weather Events: Grim Statistics in India Climate Report 2024 View More On the same day that the Copernicus report was released, the United Nations Environment Programme’s Adaptation Gap Report found that there is still a huge gap in adaptation finance. Basically, it found that developed countries – many of them, including the US, have been historical emitters of greenhouse gases and thus have an obligation to invest more in climate action – need to drastically increase their funding to developing nations to implement measures to adapt to the impacts of climate change. On November 8, data compiled by the Centre for Science and Environment and its publication Down to Earth showed that extreme weather events are consistently on the rise in India. In the first nine months of the year, extreme events occurred on 255 out of a total 274 days across the country. These events – ranging from lightning and storms to heavy rain, floods, landslides and heat waves – claimed the lives of 3,238 people, affected 3.2 million hectares of crops, destroyed 2,35,862 houses and buildings, and killed 9,457 livestock across the country. Meanwhile, all eyes are now on Baku, Azerbaijan. Here, at the 29th United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP29) which kicked off on Monday (November 11), representatives of governments, world leaders and others are sitting down together to discuss, negotiate and implement actions towards tackling climate change. The first day of the COP has already witnessed countries agreeing to a UN-backed carbon credit standard, which will permit carbon offsets to be traded across nations. A denier and sceptic to the core It is in this backdrop that Trump is preparing for a second term as US president. Director general of the Centre for Science and Environment and editor of Down to Earth Sunita Narain alluded to the Trump factor as she launched the India Climate Report virtually on November 8. The report was being launched at a time when Trump, a “climate sceptic”, has come back to power, she said. “He has openly said that climate change does not happen, is not happening,” Narain said, of Trump coming back to power in the US. “He has openly said that he will revive energy drilling in his country. As part of his plan, the cost of energy will fall and there will be more drilling … he has said very clearly that the green deal of Biden is history as far as he is concerned. This is important not because of the global leadership role that the US has played, but because it continues to be a country with a very high emission load.” Trump’s climate denial is well-known. “We should be focused on magnificently clean and healthy air and not distracted by the expensive hoax that is global warming!,” he tweeted in 2013. In 2015, he said in an interview: “I believe in clean air. Immaculate air. But I don’t believe in climate change.” His attitude to the issue of global warming and climate change has since not changed. On November 2 this year, as part of his election campaign, he said that “nuclear warming”, not global warming, was the biggest threat. “So they talk all the time about the ocean will rise in 500 years, one-eighth of an inch, who the hell cares?” he said. (Of course, he got the numbers wrong, too.) And over the course of his campaign, “drill, baby, drill” has been a common refrain on his lips; he promised to open up new gas reserves if he came back to power. “We are going to – I used this expression, now everyone else is using it so I hate to use it, but – ‘drill, baby, drill’,” he said. On the day he was elected president for the second time, Trump said: “We have more liquid gold than any country in the world. More than Saudi Arabia. We have more than Russia.” This matters because even with the US’s current levels of fossil fuel consumption – which would be low when compared to what Trump hopes to unleash in the years to come – the US is one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases. “The US is the world’s single largest historical emitter of greenhouse gas emissions … This matters because we know that the lifetime of carbon dioxide is 150-170 years,” Narain said at the virtual launch of the India Climate Report 2024 on November 8. “So we cannot deny the historical contributions of a country because those emissions have not disappeared.” These emissions are part of the stock of emissions in the atmosphere that is causing the climate to change, she said. The US is also the second largest annual emitter, and the largest on a per capita basis, she added. Between 2000 and 2023, the US produced the highest total carbon emissions per capita by region (which factors in population) as per the International Energy Agency.

Air gets a tad better, but remains ‘poor’

Gurgaon: Brisk winds up to 10kmph helped wash away pollutants in the air, but the city's air quality remained ‘poor' on Tuesday. The average 24-hour air quality index was 219 on Tuesday, down from Monday's 294. Experts warned that pollution levels will rise as the weather gets colder. "Throughout the year, the region has been witnessing poor to very poor air, and it will aggravate in the coming days because we are yet to enter the peak winter phase. As the temperature goes down, the dispersion of pollutants will be slower, which is likely to lead to more accumulation of pollutants suspended in the air," said Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed that particulate matter levels were higher than safe standards. The monitoring station in Sector 51 recorded PM2.5 concentration at 305 µg/m³, the highest for the city on Tuesday. It was followed by Gwalpahari, at 195 µg/m³, Teri Gram at 156 µg/m³ and Vikas Sadan at 113 µg/m³. PM10 readings were also far beyond safe limits. At Sector 51 station, it was 301 µg/m³. Gwalpahari station recorded 167 µg/m³ and Teri Gram saw PM10 touch 189 µg/m³. The average permissible limit for PM2.5 is 60 µg/m³ and for PM10, it is 100 µg/m³. Doctors said that patients with existing respiratory or medical conditions were at higher risk of developing complications from breathing in pollutants. "We are seeing about a 30–40% increase in OPD patients with symptoms like cough, viral infections, flu and asthma. People with asthma or respiratory problems should use their inhalers regularly, avoid going outdoors when pollution levels are high, and wear masks in crowded areas," said Dr Nevin Kishore, head of bronchology and senior consultant for respiratory medicine and pulmonology at Max Hospital in Gurgaon. Meanwhile, Delhi has been suffering from ‘very poor' air quality for the past two weeks. Despite winds up to 10 km/h improving the air quality on Tuesday, the AQI at 4pm was 334 against 354 at 11am. It, however, improved further due to consistent winds to 315 by 8pm.

G77, China reject framework for draft text on new climate finance goal

G77AND China,the largest bloc representing around 130 countries atthe UN climate talks, has rejectedtheframeworkforadraft negotiating text on a new climate finance goal -- the central issue at this year’s climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan. Thesubstantiveframeworkfor adraftnegotiatingtext,prepared by the co-chairs of the Ad Hoc Work Programme on the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) and published in October,isthefirstitemforcountries to deliberate on. However, on Tuesday, G77 and China rejectedthe framework, arguing it does not accurately reflect the suggestions that developing countrieshave madeforthenew climate finance goal. Other groups of developing countries, including the LikeMinded Developing Countries (LMDCs),AllianceofSmallIsland DevelopingStates(AOSIS),Least Developed Countries (LDCs), andthe IndependentAllianceof LatinAmericaandtheCaribbean (AILAC), backed G77 and China in this rejection. According to the Loss and DamageCollaboration,aninternational coalition of climate researchers and activists, G77 and China have requested that theco-chairsprepareanewdraft text before the next negotiating session.G77andChinademanded that the new climate finance packagemeettheirneedsandpriorities, with a minimum quantum of USD 1.3 trillion. The group said that this amount shouldsupportmitigation,adaptation, and loss and damage initiatives, and should be exclusively allocated to developing countries. Developing countries also insist that the new climate finance goal, or NCQG, should prioritize public, grant-based, and concessional finance, as these types of funding are less burdensome fornations already facing financial challenges. Public finance provides a stable support source, while grants and concessional loans (with verylow or zero interest)are easier for developing countries to manage. According to the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment, developing countries are also calling for developed countries to provide arrears for the USD 100 billion climate finance goal agreed to in 2009. At COP15 in 2009, developed countries pledged to mobilise USD 100 billion per year to help developingnationsadapttoand combat climate changeby 2020. However, this target was only metin2022,withloansaccounting for around 70 percent of the total climate finance provided. Developing countries are also asking that the NCQG impose no conditions on access to climatefinance.Theysayresources provided under the new goal must be predictable, new and additional, adequate, grantbased, and concessional, and mustnotcreatefiscalconstraints or debt burdens.