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New Delhi will never solve its air pollution problem with its myopic view

Without a sustained implementation strategy and economically feasible alternatives, the ban on stubble burning will be as ineffective as the plastic ban The CAQM, the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas, constituted in 2021for better coordination, identification and resolution of air quality index in New Delhi, has been repeatedly admonished by the Sup... Penal action at the grassroot level has failed in India. Remember, in 2022, India brought into effect the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules (2021) that banned 19 categories of ‘single-use plastics’(SUP). Yet, thanks to lax supervision and a reluctance by small businesses to embrace non-plastic alternatives the law has become toothless in a country that generates about 5.5 million tonnes of SUP waste annually, according to a report by the New Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

We Can't Cut Down Coal Immediately; Instead We Should Phase Out Thermal Power: Montek Ahluwalia

As the United Kingdome (UK) officially shut down its last remaining coal power plant on Monday, policy experts said coal will continue to be a part of India's energy mix for the next few decades, given that it is still a developing country with significant energy needs. By closing its last coal power plant, the UK has become the first G7 nation to do so amid calls for a global coal-free energy system by 2040. The world's first coal power plant opened in London in 1882, and until 2012, coal accounted for 39 per cent of the UK's electricity generation. Global energy think tank Ember said the closure of the UK's last coal plant means that more than a third of OECD countries are now coal-free, with three-quarters expected to eliminate coal power by 2030, in line with global climate goals aimed at limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The International Energy Agency's (IEA) ‘Net Zero by 2050’ report recommends that developed countries phase out unabated coal by 2030, while developing countries should aim to do so by 2040 to remain on track for global net-zero emissions by 2050. The term "unabated" in this context refers to electricity production that does not use technologies designed to capture and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These developments occur as developed countries push their counterparts in the developing world to accelerate the phase-down of unabated coal power. India, the world's second-largest consumer of coal for electricity generation after China, saw the share of coal-fired power generation rise to 75 per cent in 2023-24 from 71 per cent in 2019-20. According to the IEA, while coal consumption fell in Europe and the US in 2023, it rose by eight per cent in India and five per cent in China. That said, India's coal usage for power generation began several decades later than that of developed nations. While the UK's first coal power plant opened in 1882, India established its first major thermal power plant, the Hussain Sagar Thermal Power Station in Hyderabad, in 1920. Policy experts opine that India is focusing on a long-term energy transition, where coal will continue to be part of the energy mix for the next few decades. Sunil Dahiya, an independent analyst, said that while coal will not disappear in the near future, India must reduce harmful emissions from the sector by deploying advanced air pollution control technologies and improving efficiency to curb carbon emissions. According to climate activist Harjeet Singh, India has made remarkable progress in renewable energy, but the intermittent nature of these sources and the lack of scalable battery storage mean that coal still underpins its power supply and industries like steel and cement. "Yet, the cost of coal goes far beyond emissions -- it destroys ecosystems, displaces communities, and deepens environmental injustice. India must urgently shift away from coal, and the international community must provide the financial and technological support needed for a just transition -- for both people and the planet," he said. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former deputy chairman of the erstwhile Planning Commission, said in a recent webinar organized by the think tank Centre for Social and Economic Progress that India can't cut down coal immediately and it is hypocritical in the west to focus solely on coal while ignoring oil and natural gas. "However, if we are going to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, we must recognise that we need to phase out thermal power. We should indicate to the world that India's emissions will increase for a while, then peak, and eventually decline. Right now, there's a lot of misunderstanding in the west about India's willingness to reduce emissions, which is not true," he said. Sunita Narain, the director general of the Centre for Science and Environment, echoed similar sentiments, saying that India is currently dependent on coal, as it remains the cheapest form of energy available. "We need to talk about a different future for coal. We must clean up coal -- not just for climate change but also for local air pollution. We will still need to invest, and that's where the world needs a conversation." India has repeatedly emphasised that it is still a developing country with significant energy needs and that coal remains a crucial part of its energy mix because it is a reliable and affordable source of electricity. It argues that developed countries have historically contributed more to greenhouse gas emissions, having relied on fossil fuels for their economic development. Therefore, developed nations should take the lead in reducing emissions while allowing developing countries more time to transition to cleaner energy sources. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav had said earlier that the country is committed to meeting the energy needs of its population and "will also have to rely on coal power until it achieves developed country status". He said the nation cannot solely depend on "importing oil and gas" to meet its energy demands.

India’s air, water, land are all polluted. The government has failed to tackle this, says a new book

Indian factories and cities unload pollutants and untreated organic material into our rivers, lakes and ponds. This makes their water unfit for drinking or bathing or both, depending on the extent of pollution. More than 320 out of 521 rivers monitored for water quality by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 2016 were found to be polluted (whose water is not fit for drinking). A 2015 CPCB report found that the number of polluted rivers in India increased from 121 to 275, and to 351 in 2018. In 2019, as per the World Air Quality Report, India had the highest population-weighted annual average particulate matter (PM)2.5 exposure in the world at 83.2 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) of air. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) safe limit for weighted annual average PM2.5 exposure is only 10 µg/m3. India was in the least healthy category of exposure, between 75 and 85 µg/m3. Over the period 2010–19, the country had seen the third-highest increase in exposure after Nigeria and Bangladesh at 6.5 µg/m3 over this period. India’s general quality of air suggests a state of emergency. India’s air, water and environment are all severely polluted. Modi 2.0 needed to address the pollution problem as an emergency. Control of the pollution scheme did not make much difference The Control of Pollution scheme has been operational since 2018. The main objectives of the scheme are to monitor air quality across the country and take appropriate mitigation measures, besides monitoring water quality and noise levels. There are four components of the scheme: financial Assistance for Abatement of Pollution (AAP) to the weaker state pollution control boards/ pollution control committees (SPCBs/PCCs) and to the central pollution control board (CPCB), Managing the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), Measuring quality through the Environmental Monitoring Network Programme (EMNP), and Conducting related research and outreach programmes. Actual expenditure under the CoP scheme was Rs 599.91 crore in 2022– 23 and pegged at Rs 848 crore in 2023–24 RE. The expenditure under the programme has gradually increased from Rs 409 crore in 2019–20. The funds under the scheme are essentially released to the CPCB, which, in turn, passes on most of it to the state pollution control boards. The funds under the AAP component are spent on pollution abatement activities, including pollution assessment – source monitoring, monitoring of ambient air, water and noise, conducting technical studies and the like. This component functions more as maintenance of the system created to monitor quality. The NCAP component, initiated in January 2019, supports a more focused intervention. The objective was to improve air quality in 131 select cities by reducing the PM10 concentration over the baseline 2017 by 20–30 per cent by 2024 (later revised to 40 per cent by 2025–26 relative to base year 2019–20). A total of 885 stations have been made operational to monitor air quality in these 131 cities. The MoEFCC Annual Report 2023–24 reports that city-level action plans had been prepared for all the cities. Further, ninety cities showed improvement in air quality in 2022–23 compared to base 2017 and fifteen cities conformed to national ambient air quality standards compared with six cities in 2017. Unfortunately, the extent of improvement in these ninety cities, even after the programme had run for more than four years, was not specified. Admittedly, in the forty-one remaining cities, the air quality deteriorated or stayed stagnant. Environment Ministry kept diluting/postponing standards for thermal power plants The MoEFCC notified eighty-one standards across industries, including for major polluting industries, such as thermal power plants, sugar industry, cement industry and fertilizer industry, among others. The implementation of standards, however, was not that satisfactory. A case in point is the notification of stringent emissions limits issued for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, mercury and water usage in coal-based thermal power plants. The standards were first notified in 2015 and were to be complied with by 2017. In 2017, the power plants were granted a five-year extension (till December 2022) to meet the deadlines in a phased manner. Eleven plants in Delhi-NCR were to comply with the norms by 2019. The MoEFCC kept diluting the standards after extending the deadline to 2019/2022. In June 2018, the water norms for units installed after January 2017 were diluted from 2.5 m3/MWh to 3 m3/MWh. In May 2019, the nitrogen oxide (NOx) norms for units installed in 2004–16 were diluted from 300 mg/ Nm3 to 450 mg/Nm3. In March 2021, the MoEFCC issued a notification specifying new deadlines for compliance, with the norms based on the location of the coal thermal power plants. In September 2022, the MoEFCC further extended the sulphur oxide (SOx) standards deadline to 2024. There was only limited progress in making the thermal coal plants comply with the environmental standards, diluted notably in the nine years ending March 2024. Commission on Air Quality made little difference to Delhi’s air pollution The government, in a bid to deal with the rising air pollution in Delhi-NCR, first brought an ordinance on 29 October 2020 – the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance 2020 – to put in place an oversight body which would have functions, including laying down parameters of air quality and environmental pollutants, to inspect premises violating the law and ordering closure of non-abiding industries/plants. After a little flip-flop in which the Commission was denotified, a statutory commission was constituted on 23 April 2021 through the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021. The adjoining areas where the act is in force include Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, and adjoining areas of the NCR region and Delhi, where any source of pollution is located and is causing an adverse impact on air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR). As per a press release issued by the government in 2023, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) did undertake “considerable action” for the prevention and control of air pollution in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas, which resulted in “general improvements in the AQI level” of the NCT Delhi. The press release further informed that the commission adopted an airshedlike approach and issued a comprehensive policy to curb air pollution in the NCR in July 2022. The policy has sector-wise action plans for the prevention and control of air pollution in the region by various sectors contributing to air pollution. The commission also issued seventy-eight directions and eleven advisories, besides many executive orders to various agencies concerned in the NCR, including the state governments of Punjab, NCTD and various bodies of the central and the state governments in the region. Separately, a Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was formulated and notified by the MoEFCC in January 2017 on the recommendation of CPCB for Delhi-NCR to tackle the issue of a sudden rise in air pollution levels. A comprehensive review of actions listed under GRAP was carried out by CPCB in 2020. Based on these inputs, the revised GRAP was published by the CAQM and further action was taken for its implementation. While the government claimed improvement in air quality, the winter of 2023–24 witnessed the worst air pollution in Delhi and NCR. The “End of Winter Report 2023–24: Spread and scale of air pollution crisis in India’ issued by the Centre for Science and Environmental Analysis, noted that the ‘toxic air pollution came back to trouble the public yet again this winter”. The air quality began to worsen much earlier than usual due to low rains in September–October and was made even worse due to low wind speed throughout the season. The report concluded that North and East India remained the most polluted regions of the country. The “air quality in North India was significantly worse this winter compared to the previous winter”. There was no improvement in the quality of air in Delhi, the seat of the Modi government, during 2019–24.

Byrnihat in Meghalaya, Begusarai in Bihar more polluted than Delhi

Byrnihat in Meghalaya remained the most polluted town all of 2023 and most of 2024, more polluted than Delhi and any other city in the plains, reported TOI. Clusters of small industries are choking Byrnihat, the report said, adding that spread across the Meghalaya-Assam border, the town is an industrial area, home to clusters of small-scale units producing ferroalloys, tyres and tubes, cement and polythene items. The close proximity in which these industries operate results in Byrnihat’s noxious pollution levels, the outlet said. “Since it’s on the border of two states, it witnesses huge interstate truck movement. As a result, the emission levels are high,” Sunil Dahiya, analyst at Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) told TOI. Byrnihat is also representative of India’s under-studied and under-attended air pollution problem in cities beyond Delhi, especially tiers II and III. In the 2023 overall pollution index, Delhi, in fact, was at eighth spot. Begusarai in Bihar was second after Byrnihat. Other places more polluted than the Capital in 2023, were all small cities, and among them, only Greater Noida is in the NCR. For Byrnihat, the trend has continued into 2024, with the northeast town consistently ranking number one, the TOI report noted. Ahead of winter pollution, revised graded action plan to be on from October 1 The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) updated the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on September 17, 2024. The plan was first notified in January 2017 for Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas, reported DTE. The outlet noted that initially, focus of the GRAP implementation was based on PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations. Now it has been based on the city’s air quality index (AQI) levels, which are calculated based on the eight pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ground-level ozone, ammonia and lead). The report pointed out that the severity of pollution for implementation of GRAP has been categorised into four stages, based on Delhi’s AQI levels: Stage I — ‘Poor’ (AQI 201-300); Stage II — ‘Very Poor’ (AQI 301-400); Stage III — ‘Severe’ (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV — ‘Severe+’ (AQI > 450). Each stage outlines specific actions that must be implemented to curb pollution levels. The outlet said earlier, the actions were implemented when the air quality was at a dangerous mark (Very Poor, Severe or Severe+) levels for three consecutive days. The new system developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research forecasts the pollution levels for the following three days, which helps the government to take pre-emptive actions. The new additions related to vehicular emissions include the Decision Support System (DSS) for Air Quality Management developed by IITM provides data on real-time source apportionment of PM2.5. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) analysed the DSS data showing that around half of Delhi’s particulate pollution during winter months come from vehicles. PM2.5 pollution dipped slightly in India but remains top health threat: Study India’s particulate pollution fell from 51.3 in 2021 to 41.4 μg/m³ in 2022, adding one year to the country’s average life expectancy, said the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) annual Air Quality Life Index 2024 report, which added that despite this decline, the annual average particulate pollution level in most areas exceeds WHO guidelines, reported Mongabay. The outlet reported that in districts home to cities covered by India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), PM2.5 concentrations declined by 19% on average, and in the districts not covered by the programme this stood at 16%. The report noted that the most significant drop in particulate pollution in 2022 occurred in the Purulia and Bankura districts of West Bengal and the Dhanbad district of Jharkhand, with pollution levels dropping by over 20 μg/m³ in each of these areas. However, South Asia continues to be the world’s most polluted region, the AQLI report said, adding that of the total life years lost globally to high pollution, South Asia accounts for 45%. Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan are among the most polluted countries in the world. Mercedes Benz served notice from Maharashtra pollution board German luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz received a notice from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), accusing the company of violating environmental pollution rules, NDTV reported. The report said clarifiers and centrifuge units in the sewage treatment plant were not working and the company’s failure to comply with the requirement to install emission control devices for diesel engines was also the reason for the pollution control board action. “Sub-divisional officers of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board had inspected Mercedes Benz’s Chakan plant (100 acres, near Pune). Several pollution rules were found to be violated in it. Therefore, the company has been issued a notice and asked to respond within 15 days,” said Jagannath Salunkhe, the regional officer of the state pollution control board was quoted as saying in the report. Stick to 27 point air pollution guidelines, Mumbai builders told ahead of winter Mumbai’s municipal corporation (BMC) directed builders to adhere to the 27-point guidelines for the mitigation of air pollution ahead of winter after air quality worsened in October 2023 and had remained in the moderate and poor category for some time thereafter, reported TOI. The newspaper reported that civic officials asked members of the construction industry to minutely check their activities and ensure that all measures are carried out, including the procurement of necessary paraphernalia for maintaining air quality around their sites. The developers were also told to develop a green perspective in their projects and made aware of the heat spots in the city. The report explained that in 2019, 133 of 182 days were bad air quality days, while in 2023, the number of bad days increased to 162. The outlet pointed out that after the air quality declined in October 2023, the government released the 27-point guidelines for the mitigation of air pollution. A large number of construction sites were inspected, stop-work notices and sealing action were carried out at construction and infrastructure project sites, including those of Metro contractors and various other government agencies. Besides, penalties were also imposed on construction sites. The civic body even washed city roads. Incomplete biomass combustion, traffic fuel pollute Delhi the most: CPCB to green court Incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuels, including those in traffic, contributed most to air pollution in the national capital, said the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in its reply to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), according to TOI. The NGT had earlier sought the board’s reply regarding air pollution in Delhi from sources, such as incomplete combustion of various fuels, biomass burning, vehicular pollution, especially from old and poorly maintained vehicles and usage of coal. The CPCB said it conducted a study, which attributed “incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuels, including traffic, as the dominant contributor to OP (oxidative potential of particulate material)”.OP reflects the health effects of exposure to airborne particulate material (PM), which is a mixture of solids, chemicals, liquids and aerosols. The newspaper cited CPCB report noting that ammonium chloride, and organic aerosols from traffic exhaust, residential heating, and oxidation of unsaturated vapours from fossil fuels were the dominant PM sources inside Delhi. About incomplete burning of biomass such as crop stubble, the report said, “A scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for providing subsidy for purchase of crop residue management machinery and establishment of custom hiring centres in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and NCT of Delhi.” It said the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) had issued directions for co-firing of 5-10 per cent biomass with coal in thermal power plants located within 300 km of Delhi, and in captive power plants of industrial units located in NCR.

How global push to phase out antibiotic use in agri-food sectors will boost India’s fight against AMR

The Indian scientific community has hailed the recent consensus by global political leaders to phase out the use of medically significant antibiotics in the agriculture and food production sectors. For India, it is a crucial step in addressing the country’s growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) problem. AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi change over time, and are no longer susceptible to the common medicines used to treat them. It is a serious global public health crisis. The aforementioned decision was rolled out on 26 September, as part of the political declaration of the second High-Level Meeting on AMR, during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). “Compared to the political declaration of 2016, this declaration marks a big positive shift in the way the world wants to address AMR from agri-food systems. It is a huge step forward,” Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based environment research and advocacy organisation, said in a statement. India, one of the signatory countries to the UN declaration, introduced its National Action Plan on AMR (NAP-AMR) in April 2017, shortly after the UN’s first High-Level Meeting on AMR in 2016. Despite having an existing action plan, India continues to report cases of alarming rises in superbugs, which are pathogens resistant to multiple antibiotics and are extremely difficult to treat. This issue was found in 21 of the country’s leading hospitals between 2017 and 2023, according to the annual report by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)’s Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Surveillance Network (IAMRSN) released last month. Findings from the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) Project, published in The Lancet last month, showed that India recorded between 3 and 10.4 lakh deaths in 2019 due to bacterial antimicrobial resistance. The first analysis of the global burden of AMR, the GRAM project is a partnership between the University of Oxford and the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington. “India faces a dual challenge—on the one hand, a large part of the population lacks access to affordable antibiotics, while on the other, we see the overuse and misuse of these drugs in human health, food animals, and agriculture,” Amit Khurana, programme director of sustainable food systems at CSE, told ThePrint in an email.

Rwanda to restore 1,000 wetlands as report highlights water crisis in Africa

The government has committed to conserving nearly 1,000 wetlands, including the restoration of those severely degraded by human activities. This initiative aims to ensure a stable water supply for various needs across the country. The commitment comes in the wake of the State of Africa's Environment 2024 report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which warns that poor water resource management is intensifying the water crisis across Africa’s urban and rural areas. ALSO READ: Over 40% of Rwanda’s wetlands ‘lost their pristine nature’ Faustin Munyazikwiye, Deputy Director General of the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), spoke to The New Times about the causes of water crises, pointing specifically to wetland degradation. "In 2001/2002, Rwanda faced an electricity shortage, leading to a surge in the use of diesel generators. The primary hydropower plant had diminished capacity, and we discovered that the root cause was the destruction of the Rugezi wetland, which supplied water to that hydropower plant," Munyazikwiye explained. ALSO READ: Wetland degradation undermines water supply The degradation of the Rugezi wetland not only disrupted clean water supplies but also impacted hydropower generation. Water from the Rugezi wetland feeds the Ntaruka and Mukungwa hydropower plants via Lakes Burera and Ruhondo, as well as the Mukungwa River. By 2004, water levels in these lakes had fallen by 50%, forcing the country to spend over $65,000 per day on diesel fuel to compensate for the electricity shortfall. “That was a significant setback to our renewable energy targets,” Munyazikwiye said, stressing the importance of restoring the wetland to address the crisis. ALSO READ: How Rwanda is faring in wetlands restoration In response, the government took decisive action. The Rugezi wetland was designated a Ramsar site in 2005, becoming a fully protected area. From 2006 to 2010, the government rehabilitated the wetland, including demarcating buffer zones and watersheds to protect its ecosystem. Wetlands, as Munyazikwiye noted, are crucial for filtering water. Conserving 1,000 Wetlands Munyazikwiye revealed that a recent survey identified over 940 wetlands nationwide that require conservation. “These wetlands help prevent flooding, filter water, and store it for various uses. We need to maintain buffer zones of at least 20 metres around wetlands to prevent encroachment,” he said. According to the Wetlands Biodiversity and Ecological Integrity Assessment, a 2020 survey by the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS Network), more than 40% of Rwanda’s wetlands have lost their pristine quality due to poor management. The survey also showed that 10.6% of the country’s wetlands are located in Kigali City. The government has pledged to rehabilitate five key wetlands in Kigali within 18 months. These efforts are expected to benefit 220,500 people directly and indirectly by mitigating the risks of flooding and water shortages. The wetlands targeted for rehabilitation include Rwampara, Gikondo, Nyabugogo, Kibumba, and the Rugenge-Rwintare Wetland System. These wetlands feed into the Nyabugogo River, which eventually flows into the Nyabarongo River and the Nile. Impact of Africa’s Water Crisis Munyazikwiye warned that failure to conserve wetlands could worsen water scarcity and increase flooding risks. According to the State of Africa's Environment 2024 report, death rates due to unsafe water sources in Africa are alarmingly high—50 deaths per 100,000 people, which is 1,000 times higher than in developed countries. The report further predicts that by 2050, 36% of the world's cities will face a water crisis. It emphasises that poor urban water security threatens the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Looking ahead, African cities must adopt water-sensitive urban planning and governance strategies, the report advises. Water consumption in urban areas is forecasted to rise by 80% by 2050, further straining resources. Africa currently has the lowest levels of access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services worldwide. This contributes to the region's significant water insecurity, with 31% (over 411 million people) across 54 African countries lacking access to basic drinking water services. Despite Africa accounting for 9% of the global freshwater resources, its growing urban population and increasing water demand pose significant challenges. “The urban population of Rwanda is rapidly increasing, and socio-economic conditions are improving. As a result, the demand for water to meet municipal needs is rising. Human activities and high-water demand are putting pressure on our water resources,” the report concludes.

Does the Odd-Even Scheme Help Delhi? Expert Explains in 5 Points

As delhi faces worsening air quality, the government is considering reinstating the Odd-Even Scheme as part of its 21-point Winter Action Plan to tackle pollution. However, experts question the effectiveness of this measure. Here’s a breakdown of the reasoning from vivek Chattopadhyay, Principal Program Manager at the Center for Science and Environment, regarding the scheme's limitations: Limited Geographic Applicability: The Odd-Even Scheme will only be enforced in delhi, leaving surrounding areas like Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, and faridabad unaffected. This inconsistency means that pollution levels may not significantly decrease since vehicles from these areas can still contribute to the pollution problem as they travel into Delhi. Commuters may also face additional challenges as they seek alternative routes to avoid restrictions. Exclusion of Two-Wheelers: The scheme primarily targets four-wheelers, neglecting the substantial number of two-wheelers on the road, which also contribute significantly to air pollution. By not including these vehicles, the initiative's overall impact on improving air quality may be minimal. Traffic Patterns Before and After Implementation: The Odd-Even regulations are enforced from 8 AM to 8 PM, prompting many commuters to alter their travel times to avoid restrictions. This results in increased vehicle movement before 8 AM and after 8 PM, which can shift pollution levels rather than reduce them. Consequently, air quality may worsen at night when emissions increase. Increased Use of Older, Polluting Vehicles: During the Odd-Even enforcement, individuals may resort to using older vehicles that do not meet stringent emission standards, such as BS 3 or BS 4 engines. This practice can exacerbate pollution rather than mitigate it, counteracting the intended benefits of the scheme. Traffic Congestion Issues: Implementation of the Odd-Even Scheme often leads to heightened traffic congestion. As more people turn to auto-rickshaws and cabs instead of private vehicles, the limited public transport capacity becomes overwhelmed, causing further delays and air quality issues. Long-Term Solutions Needed Chattopadhyay emphasizes that addressing Delhi’s persistent air pollution requires a comprehensive, year-round strategy rather than reactive measures during severe pollution episodes. Sustainable solutions, such as improving infrastructure and reducing reliance on polluting vehicles, are essential for making a meaningful impact on air quality in the long run.

The cloud advantage: Driving growth and operational efficiency in modern enterprises

Jan Dhan is an incredible success story featuring digital public infrastructure (Aadhaar and UPI) which brought in financial inclusion with 530 million new bank accounts in just 10 years. This and other initiatives of the digital rail, provide tremendous opportunity to India Inc. to drive profitable growth in further digital transformation of India. Across the globe, cloud computing has been an enabler of digital transformation for both enterprises and governments. India’s public cloud services market will expand at over 23 percent CAGR between 2022 and 2027, to reach $ 17.8 billion. However, in comparison with global peers, currently, Indian companies spend about $17.5 per employee on public cloud services, which is just one-eleventh of the global average. The biggest obstacles to adoption include a lack of appreciation of features and benefits of cloud, difficulty in integrating and migrating legacy systems, and shortage of cloud transformation skills. Addressing these challenges without delay is imperative because estimates say that slow adoption could potentially cost the country’s GDP a whopping $118 billion, apart from 5 million jobs by 2026. India Inc. needs to move forward on cloud not only because it is a source of immense value, but especially because it is the key to survivability. Surviving post Covid Cloud was essential for remote work during the pandemic, but global supply chain impact continues to cause disruptions. Building resilience requires real-time visibility through seamless data flows across supply chain participants, further enhanced with analytics and AI. In the manufacturing industry, data and AI solutions on the cloud can help improve shop floor productivity and optimize production with real-time visibility. This visibility lets businesses anticipate demand changes, market disruptions, and risks, allowing quick intervention. Only cloud provides the platform capabilities, services, computing power, and agility needed for real-time business and data intensive operations. Surviving in the market of the future Markets remain in flux due to changes in technology, consumer expectations, competition, and regulations. For example, ChatGPT gained 100 million users in two months and now generative AI is considered in every industry segment. Future markets will feature non-traditional players using technology to create new models with low-cost, agile, cloud-based solutions like a digital-only bank. To compete, established large businesses need same level of agility, scalability, cost-efficiency, and innovation which can achieved by adopting cloud to build solutions leveraging trending technologies such as AI, IoT, Edge Computing, Metaverse, for competitive edge and new business revenue streams. For small businesses, cloud offers easy access to technology and scalability without upfront investment. Surviving natural and other disasters Cloud technology offers built-in redundancy and disaster recovery, ensuring continuous operations during natural disasters and contingencies. This is crucial for Indian businesses, as 40 percent of them lack disaster recovery capabilities. Moving workloads to the cloud allows enterprises to run core systems and data remain accessible remotely even when one facility is affected. Customers and business partners can access services nationwide, benefiting from the cloud’s resilience. Additionally, the secure infrastructure of hyperscalers improves resilience to cyberattack which otherwise was not feasible. Surviving through climate change A World Economic Forum survey of large global corporations estimates the cost of climate change at equivalent to 10 percent of annual sales. India’s Centre for Science and Environment says the country experienced 318 extreme weather events in 2023, affecting all states or union territories. In the interest of long-term survival, Indian organisations need to prioritise climate action and make more sustainable choices, such as low carbon footprint in processing technologies, IT infrastructure, starting now. Migrating workloads from enterprise data centres to public cloud can drastically reduce energy consumption, as hyperscaler manage superior capacity utilisation, build energy efficiency data centres and source green energy to power their data centres. This reduction in carbon emissions within the IT landscape contributes positively to green initiatives and accelerates the carbon reduction goals of organisations. The value of cloud continues to grow In the beginning, cloud was seen as an efficiency enabler. Then it was valued for its scalability, agility and analytical capability. Going forward, cloud will be crucial to the survivability of enterprises.

India needs more time for transition from coal in its energy mix: Experts

As the UK officially shut down its last remaining coal power plant on Monday, policy experts said coal will continue to be a part of India's energy mix for the next few decades, given that it is still a developing country with significant energy needs. The UK on Monday closed its last coal power plant, becoming the first G7 nation to do so amid calls for a global coal-free energy system by 2040. The world's first coal power plant opened in London in 1882, and until 2012, coal accounted for 39 per cent of the UK's electricity generation. Global energy think tank Ember said the closure of the UK's last coal plant means that more than a third of OECD countries are now coal-free, with three-quarters expected to eliminate coal power by 2030, in line with global climate goals aimed at limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The International Energy Agency's (IEA) "Net Zero by 2050" report recommends that developed countries phase out unabated coal by 2030, while developing countries should aim to do so by 2040 to remain on track for global net-zero emissions by 2050. The term "unabated" in this context refers to electricity production that does not use technologies designed to capture and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These developments occur as developed countries push their counterparts in the developing world to accelerate the phase-down of unabated coal power. India, the world's second-largest consumer of coal for electricity generation after China, saw the share of coal-fired power generation rise to 75 per cent in 2023-24 from 71 per cent in 2019-20. According to the IEA, while coal consumption fell in Europe and the US in 2023, it rose by 8 per cent in India and 5 per cent in China. That said, India's coal usage for power generation began several decades later than that of developed nations. While the UK's first coal power plant opened in 1882, India established its first major thermal power plant, the Hussain Sagar Thermal Power Station in Hyderabad, in 1920. Policy experts say India is focusing on a long-term energy transition, where coal will continue to be part of the energy mix for the next few decades. Sunil Dahiya, an independent analyst, said that while coal will not disappear in the near future, India must reduce harmful emissions from the sector by deploying advanced air pollution control technologies and improving efficiency to curb carbon emissions. According to climate activist Harjeet Singh, India has made remarkable progress in renewable energy, but the intermittent nature of these sources and the lack of scalable battery storage mean that coal still underpins its power supply and industries like steel and cement. "Yet, the cost of coal goes far beyond emissions -- it destroys ecosystems, displaces communities, and deepens environmental injustice. India must urgently shift away from coal, and the international community must provide the financial and technological support needed for a just transition -- for both people and the planet," he said. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former deputy chairman of the erstwhile Planning Commission, said in a webinar organized by the think tank Centre for Social and Economic Progress last week that India can't cut down coal immediately and it is hypocritical in the West to focus solely on coal while ignoring oil and natural gas. "However, if we are going to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, we must recognise that we need to phase out thermal power.We should indicate to the world that India's emissions will increase for a while, then peak, and eventually decline. Right now, there's a lot of misunderstanding in the West about India's willingness to reduce emissions, which is not true," he said. Sunita Narain, the director general of the Centre for Science and Environment, echoed this sentiment, saying that India is currently dependent on coal, as it remains the cheapest form of energy available. "We need to talk about a different future for coal. We must clean up coal -- not just for climate change but also for local air pollution. We will still need to invest, and that's where the world needs a conversation." India has repeatedly emphasised that it is still a developing country with significant energy needs and that coal remains a crucial part of its energy mix because it is a reliable and affordable source of electricity. It argues that developed countries have historically contributed more to greenhouse gas emissions, having relied on fossil fuels for their economic development. Therefore, developed nations should take the lead in reducing emissions while allowing developing countries more time to transition to cleaner energy sources. India's Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav had said earlier that the country is committed to meeting the energy needs of its population and "will also have to rely on coal power until it achieves developed country status". He said the nation cannot solely depend on "importing oil and gas" to meet its energy demands.

India needs more time for transition from coal Experts

Sunita Narain, the director general of the Centre for Science and Environment, echoed this sentiment, saying that India is currently dependent on coal, as it remains the cheapest form of energy available. "We need to talk about a different future for coal. We must clean up coal -- not just for climate change but also for local air pollution. We will still need to invest, and that's where the world needs a conversation."

India’s Coal Dependence Continues Despite Global Push for Cleaner Energy

As the UK shuts down its last coal power plant, experts say that coal will remain a key part of India’s energy plan for decades. India, still developing and with huge energy needs, cannot quickly transition away from coal like more developed nations. While the UK has successfully eliminated coal from its energy mix, India saw its reliance on coal for electricity rise to 75% in 2023-24, up from 71% in 2019-20. This increase comes as coal use in Europe and the US has dropped. The International Energy Agency suggests that developed countries should phase out coal by 2030, while developing nations like India should aim for a 2040 target. Experts acknowledge that India is making strides in renewable energy but emphasize that coal remains essential due to its reliability and cost-effectiveness. Harjeet Singh, a climate activist, highlights the need for support from the international community to help India transition away from coal, not just for climate reasons but also for social justice and environmental protection. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, a former government official, pointed out that India can’t eliminate coal overnight and that Western countries should consider their own fossil fuel use instead of focusing only on coal. He believes India needs time to balance its emissions, which will eventually peak and then decline. Sunita Narain, from the Centre for Science and Environment, echoed this sentiment, arguing for a cleaner future for coal rather than a complete phase-out. She emphasized the importance of investing in cleaner technologies to reduce local air pollution and carbon emissions. India’s Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav reinforced that coal is still vital for meeting the country’s energy demands until it reaches developed nation status. He stated that India cannot rely solely on imported oil and gas for its energy needs.

India turns around polluted waterbodies through 27 schemes

India is turning around its severely polluted, encroached upon or dried up waterbodies as a major source for water security. A one-year-long sample survey by India's Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) of 250 waterbodies has revealed that 140 of these recorded remarkable recovery and are now “best cases” in this effort. India has 2.4 million lakes, tanks and ponds, 97 percent of which are in rural areas, according to the first census of water resources completed last year. “These waterbodies, their catchments and their feeder channels act as critical groundwater recharge zones, control flooding, and are home to unique biodiversity,” said Depinder Kapur, Director of CSE’s Water Programme. The pioneering CSE survey in the wake of the first national water resources census “is a documentation, a celebration of the successful revival of these waterbodies – of what has worked, what has not, and what more can be done,” Kapur said. India has initiated 27 schemes at the state and federal levels across the country to revive its waterbodies. The survey looks at the successes and shortcomings of these schemes. Sunita Narain, CSE’s Director General, said, “We can turn around the water story of India, particularly in today’s time of climate change. We need to protect our forests and green spaces and this is how water recharge will increase.” “We need to revive our lakes and ponds, the sponges that will allow us to harvest the rain-flood and ensure that it does not turn into wasted water,” she said. The CSE is India’s foremost public interest organisation, which researches the urgency of development that is sustainable and equitable.

Can Either the SC's Anger or the Govt's Winter Action Plan Save Delhi From Another Toxic Winter?

The Supreme Court’s flagellation of the Commission on Air Quality management on September 27 was fully deserved, but the real question remains; how is that, or anything else, including the Delhi’s government’s tired annual Winter Action Plan announced September 25, going to reduce air pollution peaks in the upcoming winter? The signs are already ominous. After three months of “moderate” and “satisfactory” AQI levels and nearly a month of the cleanest air quality that New Delhi and most of north India has seen this year, air pollution rose sharply these past few days, foretelling impending annual peaks – and concomitantly increasingly harming the health of nearly half a billion Indians residing in the Indo-Gangetic plain. The extended period of rains this year gave north Indians a slightly longer respite, but with the south-westerly monsoons receding now, it’s going to be back to the usual high PM2.5 levels that the landlocked Indo-Gangetic suffers through its toxic winters, year after year. Some air pollution scientists are even predicting that average pollution levels in the upcoming winter will be much worse than in previous years. But freak weather patterns of meteorology, temperatures, wind and humidity can change things unexpectedly, they add. New Delhi saw AQI rise to 174 last week from under 50 after the last rain the week before. This number is increasing daily and crossed 360 earlier this week on a relatively cooler day with no rain and hardly any wind. Friday’s AQI was “poor” at 273 and Saturday was “very poor” at 303, according to the government’s SAFAR app. India’s capital is seen as the ground zero of global air pollution because its levels of microscopic particulate matter is among the highest in the world. PM2.5 is so tiny that it is easily able to bypass the body’s natural defences and gets absorbed via the lungs into the bloodstream to reach and damage every organ. Exposure to this air pollution is equal to losing nearly twelve years of life expectancy, studies say. But experts have often pointed out that there are many areas in north India that are much more polluted than Delhi, but due to lack of precise measurement, slip under the radar. The National Capital Region is the most closely measured and monitored compared to other urban centres with high population density. Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS), among the most precise machines used to measure pollution, are expensive. India has roughly 374 monitors, roughly 11% of the 3,500 that are needed to cover the entire country, and most of these are mainly concentrated around a few metro cities. The National Capital Region has almost 10% of the total. Farm fires have begun – but are still not contributing to sharply rising NCR pollution Apart from the usual suspects (industrial, vehicular, garbage and biomass burning emissions), the specific concern at present is that the AQI has sharply worsened even before smoke from a single farm fire has contributed anything significant to this increase. This isn’t because farmers haven’t started burning crop stubble – satellite images show that they have. But at present, wind direction (being south-westerly) is still favourable to blowing all this smoke away from north India’s areas of high population density. This just goes to prove that local emissions are a large part of the background pollution load and current increases in ambient pollution levels are the effect of receding monsoon winds and falling temperatures. When nature isn’t washing or blowing away particulate matter, man-made pollution is in full display – and going by data, it is only going to get worse in coming days. Within the next couple of weeks, wind direction will change, bringing more anthropogenic pollution – in the form of smoke from burning fields in neighbouring states – directly to urban centres in the National Capital Region, and into the lungs of the 46 million people living there. From this point, things are likely to spiral downwards, like they do every year. Despite bans, like every year, this year’s Diwali firecrackers will add their own toxins around November 1, smothering the north Indian plains with hazardous levels of pollution (post-Diwali PM2.5 has been recorded to peak at 3,000 microns), which will stay with some troughs and peaks till nature comes to the rescue in January with winds, rains and rising temperatures. This is why although the Supreme Court has pulled up the CAQM sharply over its lack of any concrete effort to curb stubble burning in neighbouring states of Punjan and Haryana, no significant changes are likely. Crop stubble burning at its peak can contribute upto 30% of the pollution load of adjoining cities. But farmers are a political tinderbox for all political parties. For example, the Aam Aadmi Party, which spent years blaming the Congress Party for not restraining farmers from burning crop residue when it was in power in Punjab, is now strangely silent – because its own party’s government is equally unable to restrain crop residue burning. Neither political party has been able to solve this problem, one which ironically affects the health of the farmers burning crop stubble the most – after all, they are the first responders to inhale the smoke from their burning farms before it even wafts to urban centres. Similarly, despite bans and so-called “green” firecrackers, Diwali smoke will add to this toxic cocktail, unless miraculously, sincere police action this winter sees strong enforcement. But before these layers of contributors add to the rising AQI, it is very clear that the base level of pollution – the background pollution load upon on which the seasonal contributors like stubble burning, firecrackers, and biomass fires for heating in the coldest past of the winter stack up – is already high. These come from local emissions and data shows that all indicators are going up – sales and consumption of diesel, petrol, coal, imports of petcoke – all industrial and vehicular activity is increasing. These words are from a data scientist who has been tracking India’s pollution for nearly 25 years and predicts another highly polluted north Indian winter. We could analyse the futility of the latest winter action plan – each year, a few new dramatic steps are added to the existing reactive, ad hoc bandaid measures and announced just before stubble burning season – but that would be unproductive. This year’s 21-step plan includes deploying drones to monitor pollution hot spots, creating artificial rain and instituting “green” awards in addition to the tried (and failed) steps of road rationing, construction dust mitigation, smog guns or the emergency “Graded Response Action Plan” none of which address an actual reduction of emissions at source. Equally unconstructive would be highlighting the smog towers Delhi set up at public cost to manage pollution, which lie practically defunct, outdoor air purifiers that citizen groups had advocated against, noting that they were unsupported by science, which said such measures are ineffective and inefficient. As far as the National Clean Air Programme is concerned, the less said the better – its targets to lower pollution have never been legally binding, and now, a new report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has shown that five years into the programme, less than one percent of NCAP funds were spent on controlling toxic emissions from industry. Around 40% of funds out of Rs.10,566.47 crores remain unused, with the remaining spent largely on mitigation via actions amounting to dust management: paving roads, covering potholes, and deploying mechanical sweepers and water sprinklers – another useless waste of public money. National public health emergency – but still no focus on emission reduction As someone who has been tracking pollution closely for nearly 10 years through atmospheric scientists, air pollution analysts and public health researchers who analyse economic, geographical, meteorological and health data to understand the human cost of air pollution, it never ceases to amaze me how lightly the quality of human life – and death – is taken in India. Air pollution is a national public health emergency that kills more people annually in India than Covid did in its most virulent form. Even China, equally populous – and once, equally polluted – has managed to significantly bring down its severely high levels of air pollution. But the Indian government doesn’t treat pollution as a public health hazard – just compare its pollution awareness and communication strategy as compared to what it did with Covid when one couldn’t make a phone call without clear, concise information on the disease and how to protect from it. So, to come back to the original question: how is the Supreme Court’s pulling up of the CAQM or yet another weak Winter Action Plan with its 21-point reactive band-aid measures going to save north India from another toxic winter? Well, it’s not. There is nothing in there that focuses on systemic reforms to actually reduce emissions at source. The Supreme Court’s effort is laudable, but it is clear that without the cooperation of the executive, it is finding even its attempt to reduce exposure, challenging. The Court can issue directives, but it is up to the state, its politicians and bureaucrats (especially the police) to ensure zero-tolerance enforcement of existing laws, or even penalise polluters. So, until we reach a tipping point, just gird up for another toxic winter with higher pollution peaks, smarting eyes, stinging throat, respiratory distress and long term harm including strokes, heart attacks and cancers. For winter 2024, it will be back to focussing on mitigation and protection, reducing personal exposure by wearing masks and using purifiers, or best of all, fleeing the geographically and meteorologically cursed northern plains for the sunnier south or sheltering somewhere on India’s long (and preferably less population-dense) coastline where Nature can protect through wind, rain and sun. Jyoti Pande Lavakare is a journalist and the author of Breathing Here is Injurious to Your Health: The Human Cost of Air Pollution.

India's Coal Exit Needs Time: Experts Urge Patience In Green Transition

India’s energy transition is under global scrutiny as the country continues to rely heavily on coal for its energy needs. Despite the progressing international shift towards cleaner energy, India, the world’s second-largest consumer of coal after China, remains dependent on this resource. Given the country’s developmental context and increasing energy demands, India faces a complex path toward reducing its coal reliance while balancing economic growth and environmental sustainability. India's coal usage for power generation began in the early 20th century, which was several decades later than that of developed nations. The country’s first major thermal power plant, the Hussain Sagar Thermal Power Station in Hyderabad was established in the year 1920. This marked the beginning of India’s reliance on coal for power generation, which has since expanded to become a critical component of its energy infrastructure. Today, coal-fired power plants account for approximately 75% of India’s electricity generation. social Coal MiningIndia's Coal Exit Needs Time: Experts Urge Patience In Green Transition India’s energy transition is under global scrutiny as the country continues to rely heavily on coal for its energy needs. Despite the progressing international shift towards cleaner energy, India, the world’s second-largest consumer of coal after China, remains dependent on this resource. Given the country’s developmental context and increasing energy demands, India faces a complex path toward reducing its coal reliance while balancing economic growth and environmental sustainability. India's coal usage for power generation began in the early 20th century, which was several decades later than that of developed nations. The country’s first major thermal power plant, the Hussain Sagar Thermal Power Station in Hyderabad was established in the year 1920. This marked the beginning of India’s reliance on coal for power generation, which has since expanded to become a critical component of its energy infrastructure. Today, coal-fired power plants account for approximately 75% of India’s electricity generation. India's heavy reliance on coal for energy is driven by its abundance, affordability, and ability to support the nation's rapid industrial growth. Recent years have seen a surge in coal consumption as electricity demand has increased to fuel economic growth and urbanization. Between 2019 and 2024, coal's share in India's electricity generation rose from 71% to 75%, highlighting its centrality in powering industries such as steel, cement production and other key sectors. However, this dependence on coal presents significant challenges, particularly as India faces growing pressure to reduce carbon emissions and shift towards renewable energy sources. While countries in the West have been reducing their coal usage, India's reliance on the same has only intensified, which underscores the substantial gap between developed and developing countries in switching to cleaner energy. The Energy Transition: A Slow but Steady Shift India's journey towards cleaner energy is already underway, but it's a process that will take considerable time. Although the country has made notable progress in renewable energy, particularly in solar and wind power, these sources remain intermittent. Unlike coal, which provides a stable and consistent energy supply, renewables are variable. India currently lacks the necessary large-scale battery storage technology to effectively store renewable energy. As a result, coal continues to be the backbone of India’s power supply. Sunil Dahiya, an independent energy analyst, emphasizes that coal will continue to be a significant part of India's energy mix for the foreseeable future. However, to meet climate goals and reduce emissions, India must focus on improving the efficiency of its coal plants and implementing advanced pollution control technologies. This approach could help mitigate harmful emissions while allowing India the time it needs to transition towards a cleaner energy future. India's heavy reliance on coal is not just a matter of energy supply, it is also intricately linked to economic realities. Coal is the cheapest source of energy in India, and its domestic abundance reduces dependence on costly imports of oil and gas. This economic factor makes it difficult for the country to rapidly phase out coal, especially as the country seeks to balance economic growth with environmental commitments. The Socio-economic Challenges of Phasing Out Coal The transition from coal is not just about technology and energy, it is also about people. India’s coal sector is a significant source of employment, providing livelihoods to millions of workers, particularly in coal mining regions. A sudden shift away from coal could lead to job losses, destabilize local economies, and worsen socio-economic disparities. Harjeet Singh, a climate activist, highlights the broader consequences of India’s continued reliance on coal, including environmental degradation, displacement of communities, and deepening environmental injustices. Singh calls for a "just transition" that ensures coal-dependent communities are not left behind as the country moves towards cleaner energy. This concept of a just transition has gained traction in global climate discussions, where developing nations like India argue that the international community must provide financial and technological support to help them phase out coal without sacrificing economic development or social stability. India’s Renewable Energy Ambitions: Striking a Balance Despite its dependence on coal, India has set ambitious goals for renewable energy. The country aims to install 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030, a significant step toward meeting its Paris Agreement commitments. However, transitioning to a renewable energy-dominated grid is not without challenges. Renewable energy sources like solar and wind are increasingly affordable, but they are inherently variable. India’s solar power potential is immense, given its geographical location, but the intermittency of solar and wind energy, combined with the lack of scalable battery storage, limits their ability to fully replace coal in the short term. In response to these challenges, Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment, suggests that India must “clean up coal” in the short term by investing in technologies that reduce both local air pollution and carbon emissions. This approach would allow India to continue using coal while making progress toward environmental goals.

भारत को कोयले का इस्तेमाल बंद करने के लिए कुछ और समय चाहिए होगा: विशेषज्ञ

ब्रिटेन में अंतिम कोयला ऊर्जा संयंत्र आधिकारिक रूप से बंद होने के बाद नीतिगत मामलों के विशेषज्ञों ने कहा है कि भारत में अगले कुछ दशक तक कोयला, ऊर्जा स्रोतों का हिस्सा बना रहेगा क्योंकि यह अब भी महत्वपूर्ण ऊर्जा आवश्यकताओं वाला विकासशील देश है। दुनियाभर में 2040 तक कोयला मुक्त ऊर्जा व्यवस्था कायम करने की मांग के बीच ब्रिटेन ने सोमवार को अपना अंतिम कोयला संयंत्र बंद कर दिया और वह ऐसा करने वाला जी7 का पहला देश बन गया है। साल 1882 में लंदन में दुनिया का पहला कोयला ऊर्जा संयंत्र स्थापित किया गया था और 2012 तक ब्रिटेन में 39 प्रतिशत ऊर्जा का उत्पादन कोयले से होता था। वैश्विक ऊर्जा थिंक टैंक एंबर ने कहा कि ब्रिटेन में अंतिम कोयला संयंत्र बंद होने का अर्थ यह है कि एक तिहाई आर्थिक सहयोग और विकास संगठन (ओईसीडी) के देश कोयले के इस्तेमाल से मुक्त हो चुके हैं और तीन-चौथाई देशों में, ग्लोबल वार्मिंग को 1.5 डिग्री सेल्सियस तक सीमित रखने के वैश्विक लक्ष्य के अनुरूप 2030 तक कोयला ऊर्जा का इस्तेमाल बंद हो जाएगा। दुनिया में बिजली उत्पादन के लिए चीन के बाद कोयले के सबसे बड़े उपभोक्ता भारत में कोयला आधारित बिजली उत्पादन का हिस्सा 2019-20 में 71 प्रतिशत था जो 2023-24 में बढ़कर 75 प्रतिशत हो गया है। अंतरराष्ट्रीय ऊर्जा एजेंसी (आईईए) के अनुसार, 2023 में यूरोप और अमेरिका में कोयले की खपत में गिरावट आयी जबकि भारत में यह 8 प्रतिशत और चीन में 5 प्रतिशत बढ़ी। भारत में बिजली उत्पादन के लिए कोयले का इस्तेमाल विकसित देशों की तुलना में कई दशक बाद शुरू हुआ। ब्रिटेन में पहला कोयला बिजली संयंत्र 1882 में खुला था, जबकि भारत ने अपना पहला बड़ा थर्मल ऊर्जा संयंत्र, हैदराबाद में हुसैन सागर थर्मल पावर स्टेशन, 1920 में स्थापित किया था। नीतिगत मामलों के विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि भारत दीर्घकालिक ऊर्जा परिवर्तन पर ध्यान केंद्रित कर रहा है और भारत में कोयला अगले कुछ दशकों तक ऊर्जा स्रोतों का हिस्सा बना रहेगा। स्वतंत्र विश्लेषक सुनील दहिया ने कहा कि हालांकि कोयले का इस्तेमाल निकट भविष्य में बंद नहीं होगा, लेकिन भारत को कार्बन उत्सर्जन को रोकने के लिए उन्नत वायु प्रदूषण नियंत्रण प्रौद्योगिकियों को अपनाकर और अपनी क्षमता में सुधार करके इस क्षेत्र से होने वाले हानिकारक उत्सर्जन को कम करना होगा। जलवायु कार्यकर्ता हरजीत सिंह के अनुसार, भारत ने नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा के क्षेत्र में उल्लेखनीय प्रगति की है, लेकिन इन स्रोतों की अनिश्चित प्रकृति और ‘स्केलेबल बैटरी’ भंडारण की कमी का मतलब है कि कोयला अब भी इसकी बिजली आपूर्ति और इस्पात व सीमेंट जैसे उद्योगों का आधार है। उन्होंने कहा, ‘कोयला पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र को नष्ट करता है, लोगों को विस्थापित करता है, और पर्यावरणीय अन्याय को बढ़ाता है। भारत को तत्काल कोयले के इस्तेमाल से बचना चाहिए, और अंतरराष्ट्रीय समुदाय को लोगों व पृथ्वी दोनों के हित में न्यायोचित परिवर्तन के लिए आवश्यक वित्तीय और तकनीकी सहायता प्रदान करनी चाहिए।’ पूर्ववर्ती योजना आयोग के पूर्व उपाध्यक्ष मोंटेक सिंह अहलूवालिया ने पिछले सप्ताह थिंक टैंक ‘सेंटर फॉर सोशल एंड इकोनॉमिक प्रोग्रेस’ द्वारा आयोजित एक वेबिनार में कहा था कि भारत कोयले के उपयोग में तत्काल कटौती नहीं कर सकता और पश्चिमी देशों में केवल कोयले पर ध्यान केंद्रित करना तथा तेल व प्राकृतिक गैस की उपेक्षा करना पाखंड है। उन्होंने कहा, “हालांकि, अगर हम 2070 तक नेट जीरो उत्सर्जन का लक्ष्य हासिल करना चाहते हैं, तो हमें थर्मल पावर को चरणबद्ध तरीके से खत्म करने की जरूरत होगी। हमें दुनिया को यह संकेत देना चाहिए कि भारत का उत्सर्जन कुछ समय के लिए बढ़ेगा, फिर चरम पर पहुंचेगा और अंततः कम हो जाएगा। फिलहाल भारत के उत्सर्जन को कम करने की इच्छा के बारे में पश्चिमी देशों में बहुत सी गलतफहमियां हैं, जो सच नहीं है।” ‘सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट’ की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने कहा कि भारत फिलहाल कोयले पर निर्भर है, क्योंकि यह ऊर्जा का सबसे सस्ता स्रोत है। उन्होंने कहा, ‘हमें भविष्य में कोयले के किसी और तरह इस्तेमाल के बारे में बात करनी चाहिए। हमें न केवल जलवायु परिवर्तन के लिए बल्कि स्थानीय वायु प्रदूषण को रोकने के लिए भी कोयले को स्वच्छ बनाना होगा। हमें अब भी निवेश करना होगा और यही मुद्दा है जहां दुनिया को बातचीत करने की जरूरत है।’