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Study Finds Loopholes in Implementation of EPR System for Plastic Packaging

India’s plastic waste problem can be managed by giving more teeth to its policies and guidelines, such as the country’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) guidelines for plastic packaging, says a new study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based think-tank. CSE’s latest study also highlights significant gaps in the implementation of the guidelines. “India is taking steps to fight the plastic waste menace, but its efforts will not see fruition unless it gives more teeth to its policies and guidelines like EPR”, says the report. Sunita Narain, director general, CSE, said: “We must manage our plastic in a manner so that it does not become a waste. The government’s EPR guidelines are an important tool, but the operational loopholes and other concerns that have emerged from the CSE assessment can lead to questions about its integrity – we must ensure that all this effort does not end up being a “waste” of time.” CSE’s study underscores the need for robust interventions to ensure that India’s EPR framework effectively addresses plastic pollution and upholds the “polluter pays” principle. The report said EPR in this context implies that producers and other stakeholders (such as importers etc) of plastic packaging material can be held accountable for their products through their entire lifecycle. This means that Producers, Importers, and Brand Owners (PIBOs) must invest in collection, transportation, channelisation and recycling of packaging plastic waste, says the report. The EPR guidelines, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on February 16, 2022, require manufacturers, PIBOs as well as Plastic Waste Processors (PWPs) to register on a centralised portal. This framework sets specific targets for collection, recycling, end-of-life, recycled content usage and selective re-use in plastic packaging. CSE’s study, however, reveals major gaps in enforcement and systemic integrity that need urgent redressal. According to the study, the centralised EPR portal has received 41,577 registrations from PIBOs (till the time of the CSE assessment) --- 83% of the registered PIBOs are Importers, 11% are Producers and 6% are Brand Owners. Of these, producers are responsible for introducing the majority of plastic packaging into the Indian market, cumulatively accounting for 65% of the total. Brand owners are the next biggest contributors with 26%. Importers, despite being the highest in numbers to register, have only introduced 9% of the plastic packaging introduced in the market. Atin Biswas, programme director, sustainable solid waste management and circular economy unit, CSE said, “No manufacturers of virgin plastics feature on the portal, despite the EPR guidelines mandating registration for manufacturers. Another concern is that key contributors to plastic waste management, such as urban local bodies (ULBs) and informal waste collectors lack representation in the EPR framework. This absence deprives them of incentives and support to manage plastic waste effectively, placing an undue burden on local governments.” While collection targets have been in force since the notification of the guidelines, the (mechanical) recycling targets have kicked in from 2024-25. In 2024-25, registered PIBOs have a mandate to mechanically recycle 35% cent of the total plastic packaging introduced into the Indian market across all plastic categories. These PIBOs have introduced 23.9 million tonne (MT) of plastic packaging into the Indian market since the launch of the EPR portal in April 2022 – this translates into an annual average plastic packaging waste generation of about 8 MT. Biswas said, “This indicates that the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB’s) estimation of annual average plastic waste generation (all kinds of plastic waste) of 4.1 MT is an underestimation.” The study highlights another problem. As almost 66% of the plastic packaging introduced into the Indian market is flexible in nature, this kind of plastic is difficult to collect and recycle. A March 2024 amendment to the EPR guidelines under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, has reclassified multi-layered plastic (MLP) packaging -- used to package chips, biscuits etc, and other small formats such as sachets – as flexible plastic packaging. Siddharth G Singh, programme manager, sustainable solid waste management and circular economy, CSE, said in a release, “Cities across the Indian sub-continent have been struggling to deal with MLP packaging: a very small fraction of this waste goes for mechanical recycling and processing. The reclassification of MLP into flexible plastic category takes away the pressure from PIBOs to design their plastic packaging better, keeping the end-of-life of plastics in consideration. The burden of collecting and managing problematic formats of plastic packaging thus falls on local governments.” Singh said, “Currently, PIBOs are paying only 10% of the total cost of collecting and channelising plastics to a plastic waste processor or recycler, especially for MLP packaging.” In October 2023, the CPCB and state pollution control boards blew the lid off a scam in this sector. They discovered that plastic waste recyclers in three states were indulging in generation of fake ‘plastic certificates’. The regulatory bodies found that 0.7 million (seven lakh) fake certificates were generated by plastic recyclers. This is 38 times more than the certificate generation capacity of recyclers. The CPCB has already imposed a cumulative fine of Rs 355 crore on the violators. “Such practices drive certificate prices to untenable lows, undermining the system’s credibility. We have found that the malpractice is more widespread than believed. CSE’s assessment has discovered many more states where fake certificates are being generated. End-of-life disposal service providers such as waste-to-oil, waste-to-energy and cement co-processing facilities have been found to be generating certificates and transferring in volumes exceeding their registered processing capacities. As far as we know, no action has yet been taken against the PIBOs for defeating the purpose and principles of the EPR guidelines,” Singh said. Shrotik Bose, research associate, sustainable solid waste management and circular economy unit, CSE, said “We have found huge differences between the quantity processed and the registered and verified capacities. For instance, end-of-life co-processing (cement plants) units claim to have collectively processed 335.4 MT per annum (TPA) of plastic packaging waste against a capacity of a mere 11.4 million TPA!” The CSE report suggests some critical interventions that can be made to make the EPR system for plastic packaging more robust. Says Biswas, “We have some time. The implementation of the guidelines have a timeline till 2027-28. Corrective measures, if taken timely, can help run a well-oiled market-driven EPR system.” Aniket Chandra, senior research associate, sustainable solid waste management and circular economy unit, CSE, and co-author of the study, says: “The current EPR regime misses a very important set of stakeholders – the informal sector and WMAs; these need to be recognised to increase the traceability of the value chain.” The writer is a freelance journalist based in Patna, Bihar.

Local pollution sources responsible for Delhi's bad air, not farm fires: Study

Despite a decrease in farm fires, local pollution sources continue to contribute to the deterioration of Delhi's air quality, which has hovered between 'poor' and 'very poor' for the past several days, according to a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The CSE study makes it clear that when external pollution sources are sidelined, local contributors, especially the transport sector, emerge as significant culprits. This sector alone accounts for more than half of the pollution from local sources.

Farm fires caused just 4% of Delhi’s air pollution, vehicles main culprit, finds pre-Diwali analysis

A pre-Diwali analysis of Delhi’s air pollution has attributed the smoggy skies and deteriorating air quality to local sources in the national capital and neighbouring regions, particularly vehicular emissions. Stubble burning had an overall contribution of less than 5 percent to Delhi’s current air pollution, the report from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said. The CSE report, published 30 October, analysed the PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) concentration levels in Delhi from 15 September to 28 October and the contribution of different sources of pollution to the spike in air quality index (AQI).

Why is Delhi’s air unbreathable despite a dip in farm fires? CSE’s pre-winter pre-Diwali analysis

A new pre-Diwali and pre-winter analysis of air pollution in Delhi by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has found that despite a slowdown in farm fires, the air quality in the capital has been going for bad to worse – and the reason is high contribution of local air pollution sources such as vehicles. When only the local sources of air pollution in Delhi are assessed, and contributions from external sources are excluded, the transport sector emerges as the biggest contributor, accounting for more than half of the pollution coming from only the local sources, says the CSE analysis. “Usually, every year, the contribution of farm fires to Delhi’s air quality during this first phase of winter is considered the biggest problem, detracting attention form the local sources of air pollution. But this year, the air quality of Delhi has turned from poor to very poor even when for most part of this phase, the contribution of farm fires has remained less than 1 to 3 per cent, reaching up to 8-16 per cent only on two days. This exposes the problem of higher contribution of local air pollution sources,” says Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. “What is stunning is the very high contribution of vehicles among the local sources of Delhi, to Delhi’s air quality – it is more than half. With the overall number of farm fire count declining, the city cannot hide behind its smokescreen anymore. This demands very stringent advanced action at scale and with speed to minimise the local pollution in Delhi and its surrounding region,” she adds. The CSE analysis has come at the onset of winter and just before the anticipated peaking of episodic air pollution from stubble burning and bursting of firecrackers during Diwali. “It focuses on current trends in PM2.5 levels to understand the nature of the change in air quality and the changing pattern of the contribution of different sources of air pollution to overall particulate pollution in Delhi,” says Shambhavi Shukla, programme manager, clean air programme, CSE. Shukla adds: “The PM2.5 levels during this phase of winter of 2024 appear to be similar and even higher compared to the same time frame during the previous winters — suggesting that air quality has not improved substantially and is at risk of worsening.” “An added challenge has been the escalation in congestion index of major roads across Delhi, that has further aggravated the pollution exposure. Vehicles caught in congestion and idling emit several times more than their normal on-road emissions,” say Shubham Srivastava, programme officer, clean air programme, CSE; Srivastava has analysed the traffic congestion in Delhi.

Local Pollutants Major Contributors to Delhi's Air Quality Decline

As the stubble burning decreases, local pollutant remains the primary source to the deterioration of Delhi's air quality, reports said. accounting for 95% of PM2.5 levels, according to a latest analysis. An analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) reveals that Delhi's air quality has worsened from "poor" to "very poor." It highlights that local pollution sources, especially vehicle emissions, are the mainly responsible this decline.

Current pledges on climate change ‘will fail’ to meet 2°C goal

Current nationally determined contributions (NDCs) when aggregated, will almost certainly lead to a failure in achieving Paris Agreement goals, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has indicated on Monday, with the best-case estimate of peak temperature rise by the end of century in the range of 2.1–2.8°C based on full implementation of all NDCs until 2030, by when emissions are expected to have peaked. To be sure, countries have till February next year to update these NDCs, essentially emission reduction targets. Current NDCs combined would see global emissions in 2030 at a level only 2.6% lower than in 2019, falling far short of the 43% reduction by 2030 that is required to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C over pre-industrial levels and 27% reduction to limit warming to 2°C, according to a report presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The report synthesizes information from the 168 latest available NDCs, representing 195 Parties to the Paris Agreement, including the 153 new or updated NDCs communicated by 180 Parties as on September 9. These cover 95% of the total global emissions in 2019. A total of 34 parties have communicated new or updated NDCs since 25 September 2023. Global emissions to peak before 2030? Total global green house gas (GHG) emissions (without considering land use, land-use change, and forestry) taking into account implementation of the latest NDCs will take emissions in 2030 to a level 49.8% higher than in 1990, 8.3% higher than in 2010 , but 2.6% lower than in 2019, indicating the possibility of global emissions peaking before 2030. The projected total global GHG emission level taking into account full implementation of all latest NDCs continues to imply a possibility of global emissions peaking before 2030, with the lower bound of the 2030 emission level estimated to be up to 8.6% below the 2019 emission level. Most importantly though, the report has underlined that this would be possible only if conditional NDCs dependent on transfer of finance and technology are implemented. “In order to achieve that peaking, the conditional elements of the NDCs need to be implemented, which depends mostly on access to enhanced financial resources, technology transfer and technical cooperation, and capacity-building support; availability of market based mechanisms; and absorptive capacity of forests and other ecosystems,” the report added. Beyond 2°C warming The best estimate of peak temperature rise by end of century is in the range of 2.1–2.8°C, the report has highlighted. “Taking into account the implementation of NDCs up until 2030, projected global mean temperatures are subject to significant uncertainty owing to the range of emission levels estimated for 2030 resulting from implementation of NDCs (including whether conditional elements are implemented or not), the range of illustrative emission extensions beyond 2030 and inherent climate system uncertainties. The best estimate of peak temperature in the twenty-first century is in the range of 2.1–2.8°C depending on the underlying assumptions, the report has said. “Today’s NDC Synthesis Report must be a turning point, ending the era of inadequacy and sparking a new age of acceleration, with much bolder new national climate plans from every country due next year. The report’s findings are stark but not surprising – current national climate plans fall miles short of what’s needed to stop global heating from crippling every economy, and wrecking billions of lives and livelihoods across every country,” said UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, in a statement. The coming climate conference in Baku, COP29 is a vital moment in the world’s climate fight, and today’s data is a blunt reminder of why COP29 must stand and deliver. Governments must come to Baku ready to convert the pledges in the UAE Consensus at COP28 – tripling renewables, the global goal on adaptation, transitioning away from all fossil fuels – into real-world, real-economy results, protecting people and their livelihoods everywhere, he added. “The NDC Synthesis Report reveals that the world is still dangerously off track in achieving climate targets. Fossil fuels remain dominant, and efforts to scale up renewables fall far short of what the science demands. The financial lifeline that developing countries desperately need to protect people from climate disasters and raise ambition on emissions reduction remains absent,” said Harjeet Singh, Climate Activist and Global Engagement Director for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative. “The fate of our planet now hangs on COP29 and the progress on a new climate finance goal. Rich nations have continuously failed to deliver the promised funds, and if they don’t commit to the trillions of dollars needed annually for climate action, the world is headed toward a future defined by catastrophic floods, fires, and food crises,” he added. The Centre for Science and Environment also flagged on Monday that COP29 in Baku will be one of the most critical climate conferences because finance is the central agenda. There can be no immediate climate action without availability of climate finance for developing countries, CSE said. Only 1% of the global GDP – about $1 trillion – can meet developing countries’ immediate climate requirements. CSE paper says this must be provided through non-debt creating financial instruments like grants and concessional loans. Other issues on the table: Article 6 (carbon markets), scaling up of mitigation ambitions and the global goal on adaptation. COP 29 will work towards reaching an agreement on what is called the ‘New Collective Quantified Goal’ (NCQG) on climate finance. The NCQG will replace commitments made by developed countries in 2009 to support climate action in developing countries, by providing $100 billion per year by 2020. “COP 29 has the potential to become the most important climate conference since Paris – given how crucial financial support is for developing countries to reach their climate goals. We have seen till now that the provision of climate finance by the Global North has been inadequate, and the Global South has been repeatedly let down by unmet pledges and commitments. We are hoping to see some change in this status quo at Baku,” said Sunita Narain, director general, CSE.

Indian coal giants pushed for lax pollution rules while ramping up production

The Indian government weakened rules to curb pollution caused by its expanding coal industry after lobbying by top producers, even as it agreed internationally to phase down the use of coal, an investigation by Climate Home has found. India’s coal giants pushed back hard against environmental regulation meant to tighten up the disposal of fly ash – a byproduct of coal-fired power plants known to harm both humans and the environment if not managed properly. Letters sent by coal companies to the Indian government – and accessed by Climate Home News through freedom of information requests to government agencies – reveal lobbying efforts to weaken federal rules between 2019 and 2023. The state-run firms involved were Coal India Limited (CIL), the world’s third-biggest coal mining company, and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited, one of the top 10 coal-fired power companies globally. Top management at the coal giants claimed their organisations would not be able to comply fully with the government regulations, aimed at controlling fly ash disposal after decades of public health impacts for local communities. Even after the rules were approved, the companies continued efforts to weaken them, in some cases successfully. NTPC argued financial constraints would keep them from meeting the new requirements to clean up waste accumulated over decades and prevent further ash pollution, according to the accessed documents. In some cases, lobbying got results and regulations were eased, with the environment and power ministries drawing on arguments from both companies in official correspondence between government agencies. Climate Home contacted the two coal companies and India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for comment on the issues raised in this article but did not receive a response. COP26 commitment In 2021, while the proposed fly ash mandates were under discussion in India, the country was negotiating the COP26 climate pact in Glasgow, which calls on all governments to take action “towards the phase-down of unabated coal power”. At those UN talks, India rejected stronger language on a global shift away from coal, but it agreed to scale back unabated coal power, which is produced without technology to reduce its climate-heating emissions. Despite this deal, coal infrastructure around the world has since grown, mostly driven by added coal mining and power capacity in India, China and Indonesia. The Indian documents obtained by Climate Home reveal that the South Asian nation’s coal companies lobbied against regulations on fly ash pollution while expanding coal production at record speed. In their correspondence with ministries, they argued that high fines for non-compliance with waste disposal rules were a risk to their financial sustainability and raised the prospect of coal-fired power plants being shut down, triggering a power crisis in the country. Fly ash pollution When thermal power plants burn coal for energy, the fly ash they generate as a byproduct is dumped in water-filled, dam-like structures called dykes. Old “legacy” dykes store ash from previous decades and are a major source of pollution for nearby communities, explained independent air pollution analyst Sunil Dahiya. Wet ash can leach into groundwater, while dry ash can blow away, causing air pollution and damaging crops. Functioning disposal sites are also vulnerable to heavy rains, as they can overflow and pollute nearby settlements. This happened on at least three occasions between 2019 and 2021, according to a 2021 report by the NGO Fly Ash Watch Group. To minimise the impacts of fly ash, companies can recycle it into products like bricks, cement sheets, panels and other construction materials – a process known as “utilisation”. Sehr Raheja, climate change officer at the Indian think-tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), highlighted the need to utilise “legacy” ash given “the enormous quantity”, adding there are risks involved with it staying underground, such as water and soil pollution. As of 2019, the amount of accumulated unused ash in the country was about 1.65 billion tonnes, according to a CSE report, with newer estimates suggesting even more, she said. “Loophole” in regulation Fly ash regulation – known officially as the Fly Ash Notification – has been in place in India since 1999. But it was not until a 2021 update to the rules that fines were introduced for failing to comply with proper waste disposal, following the ‘polluter pays’ principle. The regulation also imposed a mandate on thermal power plants to ensure 100% utilisation of accumulated old fly ash, as well as fresh ash produced by ongoing operations. Documents accessed by Climate Home show that NTPC exchanged letters with government agencies asking for elimination of the mandate to clean up accumulated ash. “It is proposed that the provisions for utilization of old legacy ash may be dropped,” reads a 2021 letter from NTPC to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.

Show Us the Money – A briefing by CSE

Climate finance is expected to dominate the discussions at the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 29), which is scheduled to begin on November 11 at Baku, in Azerbaijan. A new position paper by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), released here today at a pre-COP 29 briefing, has spelt out all the key debates around climate finance and offers some principles that can ensure an equitable and ambitious outcome at the Conference. Speaking in the briefing, CSE director general Sunita Narain said, “COP 29 has the potential to become the most important climate conference since Paris – given how crucial financial support is for developing countries to reach their climate goals. We have seen till now that the provision of climate finance by the Global North has been inadequate, and the Global South has been repeatedly let down by unmet pledges and commitments. We are hoping to see some change in this status quo at Baku.” At Baku, Parties (countries participating in the COP and its processes) are supposed to reach an agreement on what is called the ‘New Collective Quantified Goal’ (NCQG) on climate finance. The NCQG is set to replace the commitments made by developed countries in 2009 to support climate action in developing countries, by providing them US $100 billion per year by 2020 – a target that has been met only once (in 2022). According to Avantika Goswami, Programme Manager, Climate Change, CSE: “According to various analyses, an annual mobilisation of only 1 per cent of the global GDP – about US $1 trillion – can meet developing countries’ immediate climate requirements, while also allowing nations to improve their climate ambition in the coming years. We believe that this must be provided through non-debt creating financial instruments, primarily grants and concessional loans, for the Global South. This can help further their climate ambition, while meeting their developmental priorities at the same time.” What the CSE position paper highlights CSE’s mapping of country positions on the NCQG shows that developed countries have abstained from any engagement on the quantum or amount of finance to be provided under the goal. Additionally, they are also pushing for an expansion of the contributor base, inclusion of private finance, and inclusion of Article 2.1(c) discussions (which refer to finance flows becoming climate-consistent) within the NCQG. In contrast, developing countries have laid out clear proposals for the quantum of finance needed, ranging from US $1-2 trillion annually. They have also emphasised that international public finance must be the core component of the NCQG, and that historical responsibilities must be adhered to when deciding the contributor base. Additionally, they have called for a separation between the issues of climate-consistent finance flows (referring to Article 2.1(c)) and financial support mandated under Article 9 of the Paris Agreement. “The NCQG is essential for enabling global climate action. It must also be informed by existing barriers to accessing climate finance faced by developing countries, such as a higher cost of capital for green technologies and growing debt burdens,” says Sehr Raheja, Programme Officer, Climate Change, CSE, and a co-author of the report. “In an atmosphere where trust is eroded in the multilateral process, the NCQG is one of the last opportunities for the Global North to course correct, show courage, and pay its fair share,” points out Goswami. Other issues at COP 29 Article 6: Article 6 of the Paris Agreement will be important at COP 29 as countries seek to operationalise carbon markets. The rules surrounding emissions trading are crucial for integrity and accountability. Says Goswami: “If these rules are poorly framed, we risk yet another carbon market that looks promising on paper but fails in practice. If crafted well, they could set the benchmark for a market that actually works – something the world desperately wants to see.” On mitigation: COP 29 will also witness negotiations to scale up mitigation ambitions, particularly as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are scheduled to be updated in 2025. On this issue, developed countries are calling for stronger mitigation measures while developing countries have asked for better financial support to enable this. On adaptation: As the adaptation gap keeps increasing, the global goal on adaptation (set into a framework called the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience) will urgently require important discussions on the means of implementation (finance, capacity building and technology transfer) – which it currently lacks — alongside discussions on developing sound indicators for the framework.

Current pledges on climate change ‘will fail’ to meet 2°C goal

Current nationally determined contributions (NDCs) when aggregated, will almost certainly lead to a failure in achieving Paris Agreement goals, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has indicated on Monday, with the best-case estimate of peak temperature rise by the end of century in the range of 2.1–2.8°C based on full implementation of all NDCs until 2030, by when emissions are expected to have peaked. To be sure, countries have till February next year to update these NDCs, essentially emission reduction targets. Current NDCs combined would see global emissions in 2030 at a level only 2.6% lower than in 2019, falling far short of the 43% reduction by 2030 that is required to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C over pre-industrial levels and 27% reduction to limit warming to 2°C, according to a report presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The report synthesizes information from the 168 latest available NDCs, representing 195 Parties to the Paris Agreement, including the 153 new or updated NDCs communicated by 180 Parties as on September 9. These cover 95% of the total global emissions in 2019. A total of 34 parties have communicated new or updated NDCs since 25 September 2023. Total global green house gas (GHG) emissions (without considering land use, land-use change, and forestry) taking into account implementation of the latest NDCs will take emissions in 2030 to a level 49.8% higher than in 1990, 8.3% higher than in 2010 , but 2.6% lower than in 2019, indicating the possibility of global emissions peaking before 2030. The projected total global GHG emission level taking into account full implementation of all latest NDCs continues to imply a possibility of global emissions peaking before 2030, with the lower bound of the 2030 emission level estimated to be up to 8.6% below the 2019 emission level. Most importantly though, the report has underlined that this would be possible only if conditional NDCs dependent on transfer of finance and technology are implemented. “In order to achieve that peaking, the conditional elements of the NDCs need to be implemented, which depends mostly on access to enhanced financial resources, technology transfer and technical cooperation, and capacity-building support; availability of market based mechanisms; and absorptive capacity of forests and other ecosystems,” the report added. Beyond 2°C warming The best estimate of peak temperature rise by end of century is in the range of 2.1–2.8°C, the report has highlighted. “Taking into account the implementation of NDCs up until 2030, projected global mean temperatures are subject to significant uncertainty owing to the range of emission levels estimated for 2030 resulting from implementation of NDCs (including whether conditional elements are implemented or not), the range of illustrative emission extensions beyond 2030 and inherent climate system uncertainties. The best estimate of peak temperature in the twenty-first century is in the range of 2.1–2.8°C depending on the underlying assumptions, the report has said. “Today’s NDC Synthesis Report must be a turning point, ending the era of inadequacy and sparking a new age of acceleration, with much bolder new national climate plans from every country due next year. The report’s findings are stark but not surprising – current national climate plans fall miles short of what’s needed to stop global heating from crippling every economy, and wrecking billions of lives and livelihoods across every country,” said UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, in a statement. The coming climate conference in Baku, COP29 is a vital moment in the world’s climate fight, and today’s data is a blunt reminder of why COP29 must stand and deliver. Governments must come to Baku ready to convert the pledges in the UAE Consensus at COP28 – tripling renewables, the global goal on adaptation, transitioning away from all fossil fuels – into real-world, real-economy results, protecting people and their livelihoods everywhere, he added. “The NDC Synthesis Report reveals that the world is still dangerously off track in achieving climate targets. Fossil fuels remain dominant, and efforts to scale up renewables fall far short of what the science demands. The financial lifeline that developing countries desperately need to protect people from climate disasters and raise ambition on emissions reduction remains absent,” said Harjeet Singh, Climate Activist and Global Engagement Director for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative. “The fate of our planet now hangs on COP29 and the progress on a new climate finance goal. Rich nations have continuously failed to deliver the promised funds, and if they don’t commit to the trillions of dollars needed annually for climate action, the world is headed toward a future defined by catastrophic floods, fires, and food crises,” he added. The Centre for Science and Environment also flagged on Monday that COP29 in Baku will be one of the most critical climate conferences because finance is the central agenda. There can be no immediate climate action without availability of climate finance for developing countries, CSE said. Only 1% of the global GDP – about $1 trillion – can meet developing countries’ immediate climate requirements. CSE paper says this must be provided through non-debt creating financial instruments like grants and concessional loans. Other issues on the table: Article 6 (carbon markets), scaling up of mitigation ambitions and the global goal on adaptation. COP 29 will work towards reaching an agreement on what is called the ‘New Collective Quantified Goal’ (NCQG) on climate finance. The NCQG will replace commitments made by developed countries in 2009 to support climate action in developing countries, by providing $100 billion per year by 2020. “COP 29 has the potential to become the most important climate conference since Paris – given how crucial financial support is for developing countries to reach their climate goals. We have seen till now that the provision of climate finance by the Global North has been inadequate, and the Global South has been repeatedly let down by unmet pledges and commitments. We are hoping to see some change in this status quo at Baku,” said Sunita Narain, director general, CSE.

Only 1 per cent of global GDP can meet developing countries’ immediate climate requirements: CSE

Climate finance is expected to dominate the discussions at the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 29), which is scheduled to begin on November 11 at Baku, in Azerbaijan. A new position paper by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), released on Monday at a pre-COP 29 briefing, spelt out all the key debates around climate finance and offers some principles that can ensure an equitable and ambitious outcome at the Conference. CSE director general Sunita Narain said, “COP 29 has the potential to become the most important climate conference since Paris – given how crucial financial support is for developing countries to reach their climate goals. We have seen till now that the provision of climate finance by the Global North has been inadequate, and the Global South has been repeatedly let down by unmet pledges and commitments. We are hoping to see some change in this status quo at Baku.” At Baku, Parties (countries participating in the COP and its processes) are supposed to reach an agreement called the ‘New Collective Quantified Goal’ (NCQG) on climate finance. The NCQG is set to replace the commitments made by developed countries in 2009 to support climate action in developing countries, by providing them US $100 billion per year by 2020 – a target that has been met only once (in 2022). According to Avantika Goswami, Programme Manager, Climate Change, CSE: “According to various analyses, an annual mobilisation of only 1 per cent of the global GDP – about US $1 trillion – can meet developing countries’ immediate climate requirements, while also allowing nations to improve their climate ambition in the coming years. We believe that this must be provided through non-debt creating financial instruments, primarily grants and concessional loans, for the Global South. This can help further their climate ambition, while meeting their developmental priorities at the same time.” CSE’s mapping of country positions on the NCQG shows that developed countries have abstained from any engagement on the quantum or amount of finance to be provided under the goal. Additionally, they are also pushing for an expansion of the contributor base, inclusion of private finance, and inclusion of Article 2.1(c) discussions (which refer to finance flows becoming climate-consistent) within the NCQG. In contrast, developing countries have laid out clear proposals for the quantum of finance needed, ranging from US $1-2 trillion annually. They have also emphasised that international public finance must be the core component of the NCQG, and that historical responsibilities must be adhered to when deciding the contributor base. Additionally, they have called for a separation between the issues of climate-consistent finance flows (referring to Article 2.1(c)) and financial support mandated under Article 9 of the Paris Agreement. “The NCQG is essential for enabling global climate action. It must also be informed by existing barriers to accessing climate finance faced by developing countries, such as a higher cost of capital for green technologies and growing debt burdens,” says Sehr Raheja, Programme Officer, Climate Change, CSE, and a co-author of the report. “In an atmosphere where trust is eroded in the multilateral process, the NCQG is one of the last opportunities for Global North to course correct, show courage, and pay its fair share,” points out Goswami. It was stated that article 6 of the Paris Agreement will be important at COP 29 as countries seek to operationalise carbon markets. The rules surrounding emissions trading are crucial for integrity and accountability. Says Goswami: “If these rules are poorly framed, we risk yet another carbon market that looks promising on paper but fails in practice. If crafted well, they could set the benchmark for a market that actually works – something the world desperately wants to see.” COP 29 will also witness negotiations to scale up mitigation ambitions, particularly as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are scheduled to be updated in 2025. On this issue, developed countries are calling for stronger mitigation measures while developing countries have asked for better financial support to enable this. As the adaptation gap keeps increasing, the global goal on adaptation (set into a framework called the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience) will urgently require important discussions on the means of implementation (finance, capacity building and technology transfer) – which it currently lacks -- alongside discussions on developing sound indicators for the framework.

Just 1% Of Global GDP Can Meet Developing Countries’ Immediate Climate Needs: Report

Only one per cent of the global GDP — about $1 trillion per year — can help meet the immediate climate requirements of developing countries, said New Delhi-based Centre for Science & Environment (CSE) in its latest position paper ahead of COP29. Representatives from over 200 countries are set to meet in Baku this November for the year’s biggest climate conference COP29. The UN Summit is critical as it seeks to set a new climate finance target — the first since 2015. The New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) is expected to be a key cornerstone as it will help climate-vulnerable developing countries keep the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement within reach. It will also replace the previous $100 billion/year by 2020 commitment made by wealthy nations in 2009, which remained largely unfulfilled, except once in 2022. While there is rising pressure on the developing countries to commit to a more aggressive climate action, the fact remains that they have limited financial resources and technology. “COP29 has the potential to become the most important climate conference since Paris, given how crucial financial support is for developing countries to reach their climate goals. We have seen till now that the provision of climate finance by the Global North has been inadequate, and the Global South has been repeatedly let down by unmet pledges and commitments. We are hoping to see some change in this status quo at Baku,” said Sunita Narain, director-general, CSE, in her pre-COP briefing. POLLUTERS MUST PAY IN TRILLIONS According to the UNFCCC Standing Committee on Finance’s (SCF) most recent Second Needs Determination Report, at least $5-$6.8 trillion in cumulative support would be required until 2030 to help developing countries meet their stated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This is greater than the $5.8–$5.9 trillion range proposed in the First Needs Determination Report. Developing countries, especially India, have made strong requests for US $1-2 trillion per year. In its position paper, CSE has said the level of NCQG must be in the trillions and first be determined by a five-year period until 2030. “We believe that this must be provided through non-debt creating financial instruments, primarily grants and concessional loans, for the Global South. This can help further their climate ambition, while meeting their developmental priorities at the same time,” said Avantika Goswami, Programme Manager, Climate Change, CSE. LAST OPPORTUNITY FOR COURSE CORRECTION Furthermore, a review of national positions revealed that wealthy countries, led by the United States and the European Union, have so far refrained from negotiating the quantum or quantity of finance to be provided. Instead, they have turned the focus to other specifics, for example, on who all should contribute to it — which experts have called “a mere distraction at this stage”. “The focus at this time should be to set up this finance target, which will define the course of climate action in the larger part of the world this decade,” said Goswami. “In an atmosphere where trust is eroded in the multilateral process, the NCQG is one of the last opportunities for the Global North to course correct, show courage, and pay its fair share.” QUALITY OF FINANCE VITAL Experts also pointed out that countries in the Global South are often considered ‘high-risk’ environments by private credit-rating agencies, and face higher interest rates, making investments more expensive than Global North, therefore that NCQG should be based on international public finance, and non-debt creating flows. This is another key debate which is likely to rock the negotiations — public vs private finance — with developing countries demanding NCQG to be more of a public finance goal to be supported by the respective governments. The rich nations, on the other hand, are pushing for inclusion of private finance. “The NCQG is essential for enabling global climate action. Developed countries can mobilise more than $5.3 trillion/year for NCQG through taxation on fossil fuel extraction, aviation and other measures. They even continue to pour money into harmful fossil fuel subsidies,” said Sehr Raheja, Programme Officer, Climate Change, CSE, who also co-authored the report. Other issues which are likely to dominate the COP29 discussions are Article 6 of the Paris Agreement as countries seek to operationalise carbon markets, as well as talks to scale-up mitigation ambitions and filling the growing adaptation gap.

Current Climate Plans Fall Short of Paris Goals, 2025 Emissions May Still Surpass 1990 Levels by 54%

lobal greenhouse gas emissions in 2025 could reach around 53 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Gt CO2e), a 54 per cent increase from 1990 levels and at a similar level to that in 2019, if countries implement their climate action plans, according to a UN paper cited in a Down To Earth report. Published by United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on nationally determined contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, the paper suggested that the total GHG emissions in 2030 could come down by 2.8 per cent to 51.5 Gt CO2e from 2025 levels. The estimates for both the years exclude emissions from land use, land use change and forestry. Although it represents a 2.6 per cent reduction compared to 2019 levels, the latest figure showed an improvement from previous estimates. The 2023 report estimated that NDCs could reduce global emissions by 2 per cent in 2030 compared to 2019. The report, analysing 168 updated NDCs submitted by 195 signatories to the Paris agreement, finds that countries would need to achieve a 43 per cent reduction by 2030. Even if NDCs are implemented completely until 2030, global mean temperatures could rise in the range of 2.1–2.8°C by 2100. The study, mentioned in DTE report, pointed out that less than half the countries have implemented NDC targets. The Paris agreement, signed in 2016, aimed to keep the global temperatures below 2°C, targeting to reach 1.5°C. To achieve the target, countries update their NDCs every five years. Moreover, only 50 per cent of signatories have set long-term goals, extending to 2050 and beyond. If countries achieve both their NDCs and long-term commitments, emissions could be reduced by 63 per cent by 2050 compared to 2019, and annual per capita emissions could fall to 2.4 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. However, to meet the 1.5°C target, per capita emissions would need to be two to three times lower at 1.3 t CO2e, according to a report.

Public Awareness of Biodiversity has Increased in France, UK, Brazil: Survey

About 90 per cent of the people in countries including France, the United Kingdom, Brazil and China now recognise the value of biodiversity, according to a study conducted by a non-profit Union for Ethical Biotrade (UEBT), as cited in a report by Down To Earth. Awareness in Germany and the US also exceeds 75 per cent, a significant increase from past few years. Announcing the findings in a press conference, David Ainsworth from the United Nations Environment Programme and Rik Kutsch Lojenga, executive director of UEBT, highlighted that public awareness of biodiversity has reached unprecedented levels, with more than 80 per cent people being able to accurately explain the meaning of biodiversity. The study, surveying 6,000 people across Brazil, China, the US, France, Germany and the UK, found that biodiversity is now seen as the second most pressing global issue, following climate change. However, public concern for climate change has slightly diminished. The report also mentioned about the public expectations from businesses regarding biodiversity. Over 80 per cent of respondents wanted companies to support biodiversity plans and to share specific actions for consumers to promote sustainability. Despite consumer awareness and readiness to promote sustainability, there exists a significant trust gap between them and the companies. Although approximately 86 per cent of respondents believe businesses are morally liable to protect biodiversity, many of the respondents are not confident that companies are taking sufficient actions. The survey also indicated a shift in consumers' purchasing habits, with 82 per cent of consumers wanting to make a positive impact on society by choosing biodegradable and biodiversity-conscious products. As the Convention on Biological Diversity at 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) comes to a close in few days, the insights shared in the report during the conference would inspire both consumer behaviour and corporate responsibility initiatives.

Current climate pledges fall short of Paris Agreement goals

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) indicated on Monday that the current nationally determined contributions (NDCs) will likely fail to meet the Paris Agreement’s goals. With all NDCs fully implemented by 2030, the best-case scenario suggests a rise in global temperatures between 2.1°C and 2.8°C by the century’s end. Countries have until February next year to revise these emissions reduction targets. The current commitments would only reduce global emissions by 2.6% from 2019 levels, far short of the 43% needed to limit warming to 1.5°C and the 27% required to cap it at 2°C, according to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This report assesses 168 NDCs from 195 parties to the Paris Agreement, including 153 new or updated NDCs from 180 parties as of 9 September. These represent 95% of global emissions in 2019. Since 25 September 2023, 34 parties have submitted new or updated NDCs. The report stresses that achieving this peak requires implementing these conditional elements, which depend on enhanced financial resources, technology transfer, technical cooperation, capacity-building support, market mechanisms, and the absorptive capacity of ecosystems. Projected temperature increases by the century’s end range from 2.1°C to 2.8°C. This uncertainty arises from the varying emission levels due to NDC implementation and inherent climate system uncertainties. UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell remarked that the findings should prompt a shift towards more ambitious national climate plans. He emphasised the importance of the upcoming COP29 conference in Baku as a pivotal moment in the climate change fight, urging governments to turn pledges from the UAE Consensus at COP28 into tangible actions. Harjeet Singh, Climate Activist and Global Engagement Director at the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, stated that the NDC Synthesis Report shows the world is off track with climate targets. He highlighted the absence of crucial financial support for developing countries, warning of dire consequences if rich nations fail to meet financial commitments. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) also noted the critical nature of COP29, focusing on climate finance. They argued that $1 trillion, or 1% of global GDP, should be allocated through grants and concessional loans for developing countries’ immediate climate needs. Key topics at COP29 will include carbon markets, mitigation ambitions, and adaptation goals. COP29 aims to establish a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance, replacing the 2009 commitment of $100 billion per year by 2020. Sunita Narain, CSE’s director general, expressed hope for significant progress in providing climate finance to developing countries at the Baku conference. Global emissions may peak before 2030. Without considering land use and forestry, greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 are predicted to be 49.8% higher than in 1990, 8.3% higher than in 2010, but 2.6% lower than in 2019. Full implementation of the latest NDCs suggests emissions might peak before 2030, with a possible 8.6% decrease from 2019 levels. However, this depends on implementing conditional NDCs reliant on financial and technological support.

Letter Cali to Belém: United action on climate, nature and food transformation – for our peoples

Your Excellencies President Petro and President Lula, Society is in the grip of a socio-economic, climate and biodiversity crisis. People on the frontlines are already living through the nightmare of a warming and changing planet. Today, we have a historic opportunity to change course. Your leadership in the ecological transition can make the decisive difference. The world urgently needs to transition away from fossil fuels, halt and reverse nature loss, ensure food security, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. As hosts of COP16 and COP30, Colombia and Brazil can forge an enduring partnership that will guide the world by demonstrating the interconnectedness of climate and nature. Together, you can champion bold action to ensure our efforts to protect nature are aligned with climate action, while placing the urgent transformation of our food systems at the heart of our shared mission for a sustainable future. Governments will be updating their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which are due in February 2025. With your leadership, we can make ‘peace with nature’ the principle that gives shape to these national climate action plans. We are a network of businesses, investors, scientists, Indigenous Peoples, youth and civil society organizations who are steadfastly committed to support and work with you on this ‘one year of united action on climate, nature and food’.We already have the foundations for necessary ambition: the commitments made under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Paris Agreement, and its Global Stocktake – including the Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action and the Joint Statement on Climate, Nature and People – serve as our collective blueprints. We are ready to support your leadership in mobilizing all actors to deliver these three outcomes to protect what we love: Strengthen national climate plans to deliver a triple win for people, nature and food security by aligning decade-defining NDCs and national biodiversity strategies (NBSAPs) and integrating national food systems pathways across both – with clear policies and action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, including sustainable ocean management and by ending deforestation by 2030. Scale up investment for nature and food system transformation by aligning financial flows with the Paris Agreement and Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, delivering on its biodiversity finance commitment and at least tripling finance by 2030, prioritizing direct access to finance for farmers, Indigenous Peoples, and Local Communities. Support the full and effective participation of farmers, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities across climate, food system and nature policy development, decision-making and monitoring, ensuring that these changemakers’ rights and contributions to unlocking sustainable development, economic prosperity and safeguarding of our planet are front and center. COP16 to COP30 – both set against backdrops of the world’s most biodiverse natural landscapes – are our most powerful reminder that we need to act now to protect and restore what is sacred to us, in order to ensure thriving societies and economies. This is a moment of possibility and a moment of decision. You are the first generation of leaders to truly understand the dual climate and nature crisis, but also the last generation of leaders able to address it in a timely manner. Whether or not COP16 and COP30 make history is now within your grasp. We stand united with you to seize this moment. Yours, SIGNATORIES: Global leaders: Christiana Figueres, Farwiza Farhan, Gonzalo Muñoz, Hiro Mizuno, President Juan Manuel Santos, Manuel Pulgar Vidal, Dr. Mamphela Ramphele, Mary Robinson, Monica Medina, Dr. Naoko Ishii, Paul Polman, Richard Branson, Wade Davis, Wanjira Mathai Indigenous leaders: Alfredo Nurinkias, Cristiane Julião Pankararu, Enrique Salazar, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Juan Carlos Jinitiach, Joseph Itongwa, Josien Alioema, Levi Sucre, Oswaldo Muca Scientists: Professor Carlos Nobre, Dr. David Suzuki, Dr. Gunhild Stordalen (EAT), Johan Rockström, Dr. Ralph Chami, Sunita Narain, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Professor Dr. Tom Crowther Youth leaders: Force of Nature, Paloma Costa, Rede Brasileira de Biodiversidade e Clima (RBBC), Rede Brasileira de Jovens pela Biodiversidade (GYBN Brazil), We Are Family Foundation, Xiye Bastida, Youth4Nature Business and finance leaders: AJE, Ajinomoto, Arauco, Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS), Daniel Vercelli (Manuia), Danone, David Atkin (PRI), Eva Zabey (Business For Nature), Frannie Leautier (Southbridge), IKEA, João Paulo Ferreira (Natura), Leah Seligmann (The B Team), Legal & General Group PLC, Maria Mendiluce (We Mean Business Coalition), Nestlé, Peter Bakker (WBCSD), Stephanie Pfeifer (IIGCC), Stora Enso, Sven Bruchfeld Engel (Polkura), Tim Christophersen (Salesforce) Civil society & NGO leaders: Brian O’Donnell (Campaign For Nature), Coalizão Brasil Clima Floresta Agricultura, Dorothy Maeke (African Natural Capital Alliance), Felipe Arango Garcia (Transforma), Jean Oelwang (Virgin Unite), Jen Morris (The Nature Conservancy), Juan Lucas Restrepo and Ismahane Elouafi (CGIAR), James Lloyd (Nature4Climate), Juliana Uribe Villegas (Movilizatorio), Kirsten Schuijt (WWF International), Lawrence Haddad (GAIN), Lindsay Hooper (Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership – CISL), Martin Harper (Birdlife International), Mary Dixon (World Conservation Society), Michal Nachmany (Climate Policy Radar), Morgan Gillespy (Food and Land Use Coalition), Natalie Unterstell (Instituto Talanoa), Niki Mardas (Global Canopy), Planet Tracker, Sandrine Dixon (Club of Rome), Sherry Madera (CDP), SOS Mata Atlantica, The Planetary Guardians, Tom Elliot (Restor).

प्रदूषण: खतरे में जीवन, चैन की सांस कब लेगी दिल्ली... भारत-पाकिस्तान के वैज्ञानिकों को करना चाहिए आपसी सहयोग

दिल्ली वाले थोड़ी राहत महसूस कर सकते हैं कि लाहौर को दुनिया का सबसे प्रदूषित शहर घोषित किया गया है। बीते 21 अक्तूबर को इसका वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (एक्यूआई) 394 था, जो चिंताजनक है। एक्यूआई हवा में विभिन्न प्रदूषक तत्वों की सांद्रता का एक माप है, जैसे कि महीन प्रदूषक कण (पीएम 2.5), मोटे प्रदूषक कण (पीएम 10), नाइट्रोजन ऑक्साइड और ओजोन। सौ से ज्यादा एक्यूआई को 'अस्वास्थ्यकर' और 150 से ज्यादा एक्यूआई को 'बेहद अस्वास्थ्यकर' माना जाता है। प्रमुख पाकिस्तानी अखबार द डॉन ने लिखा है कि मुख्य रूप से फसल अवशेषों (पराली) को जलाने और औद्योगिक उत्सर्जन के कारण पैदा हुए धुंध के संकट ने पंजाब (पाकिस्तानी प्रांत) सरकार को तत्काल सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य की सुरक्षा के लिए बड़े कदम उठाने के लिए प्रेरित किया है और 'खतरनाक धुंध के कारण शहर के निवासियों को खांसी, सांस लेने में कठिनाई, आंखों में जलन और त्वचा संबंधी संक्रमण सहित व्यापक स्वास्थ्य समस्याएं पैदा हो गई हैं। 'एंटी-स्मॉग स्क्वॉड को काम पर लगाया गया है और पाकिस्तानी मीडिया ने वरिष्ठ मंत्रियों के हवाले से एंटी-स्मॉग स्क्वाड की सराहना करते हुए इसे 'स्मॉग-मुक्त पंजाब की ओर एक कदम' बताया है। चावल उगाने वाले क्षेत्रों में एंटी-स्मॉग स्क्वाड की स्थापना की गई है, जिन्हें ज्यादा इलाकों तक पहुंचने और स्मॉग नियंत्रण का समर्थन करने के लिए वाहनों से लैस किया गया है। वर्षों से दिल्ली की अत्यधिक प्रदूषित हवा में रहने और एक भारतीय होने के नाते मैं इन सभी संकेतों को बहुत अच्छी तरह से समझती हूं। जैसा कि प्रसिद्ध पर्यावरणविद सुनीता नारायण ने डॉउन टु अर्थ के अपने कॉलम में कभी हमें याद दिलाया था- 'एक बार फिर से साल का वह समय आ गया है और दिल्ली एवं इसके आसपास के इलाकों के लोग वाकई खतरे से भयभीत हैं। ठंड बढ़ रही है। हवा के धीमी होने के कारण पहले से हवा में मौजूद प्रदूषक तत्व नीचे बैठ जाएंगे और हमें सांस लेने में दिक्कत होने लगेगी। हम केवल यह उम्मीद और प्रार्थना कर सकते हैं कि हवा और बारिश के देवता हमें राहत दिलाएं। ऐसा इसलिए है, क्योंकि हमने वर्षों से प्रदूषण से निपटने के लिए कुछ भी महत्वपूर्ण नहीं किया है।'