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Cse In News

Ballooning Debts

Earlier this year, the Kenyan president moved an IMF-backed bill to raise taxes on consumer goods that caused so much uproar that it was ultimately cancelled. Last year, more than half of its revenue went into debt servicing, with a huge total debt of $80 billion. In addition to this, Down to Earth Magazine reported that 60% of the African low-income countries were in debt distress, which had exacerbated various problems there in the form of inequality, poverty, etc., fueled by the IMF’s predatory lending practices.

CSE director general Sunita Narain to speak at United Nations General Assembly

This year’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will be hosting a High-Level Meeting (HLM) on what is being referred to as the “silent pandemic” — antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The HLM, which is expected to decide how the world will tackle AMR, will be held on September 26 in New York. CSE director general Sunita Narain, who is also a member of the Global Leader’s Group on AMR, will be speaking at the meeting. CSE has built up a credible body of work on AMR with specific reference to the concerns faced by Global South. Its report on the subject has served to bring together voices from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) as a step towards informing the UNGA’s HLM. In fact, the political declaration that has emerged from the UNGA already reflects some of the ‘asks’ from the CSE report.

Webinar | Navigating Triangular Climate Cooperation at COP29 and Beyond - CSEP India

The Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP) is delighted to invite you to a webinar titled, “Navigating Triangular Climate Cooperation at COP29 and Beyond” on Thursday, October 3, 2024 from 6:00-7:00 pm (IST). The webinar will feature a discussion between Nadine Piefer-Söyler, Policy Analyst, Development Co-operation Directorate of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Avantika Goswami, Programme Manager, Climate Change, Centre for Science and Environment. The event will be moderated by Pooja Ramamurthi, Associate Fellow, CSEP. The event will be live streamed on Zoom and CSEP’s YouTube channel. Register here to attend About the event Climate finance, knowledge sharing, and technology transfer mechanisms continue to emphasise North-South channels, despite power shifts in global governance. This paradigm is proving insufficient for developing countries to catalyse and implement cost-effective climate solutions. There is an opportunity to explore alternate mechanisms for improved climate action such as triangular cooperation. This modality is a mechanism where two developing countries cooperate, facilitated by a multilateral agency or industrialised country. Triangular cooperation creates a possibility for emerging economies like India to leverage successful experiences from their own development to implement appropriate, context-specific climate action across the Global South. With the upcoming COP29, this webinar will try to analyse a few issues regarding triangular cooperation within the larger global climate diplomacy. Is triangular cooperation seen as an attempt to put more equal burden sharing on countries in the Global South? Are countries in the Global South at a stage where they are willing to take on more global climate leadership? How do countries in the Global South navigate triangular cooperation at international fora so that they are more active rather than passive? Will triangular cooperation always be at the fringes within the larger North-South paradigm of climate negotiations? Discussants Nadine Piefer-Söyler is Policy Analyst in the Development Co-operation Directorate of the OECD, where she leads the work on triangular co-operation. She is also responsible for engagement with countries that are not members of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) in Latin America and the Caribbean as well as with South Africa and Indonesia. Before joining the OECD, she worked as Consultant for the German development cooperation (GIZ) and as researcher at the Technical University of Darmstadt. Nadine has over ten years of experience working on triangular co-operation in all regions of the world. Her research and consultancy work focused on new development partners, supporting countries in establishing agencies for development co-operation, triangular cooperation, as well as EU foreign and energy relations with the BRICS. Nadine has research and practical experience in Brazil, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and South Africa. Avantika Goswami is a Programme Manager at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) where she leads the Climate Change Programme. She has over ten years of experience across the public, private and non-profit sectors, with an interdisciplinary background in climate and economic research, sustainability, program management, and management consulting. At CSE, she is leading the Institute’s climate policy research and advocacy spanning climate finance, mitigation ambition, carbon markets, methane, forest-based mitigation, trade, and the tracking of UNFCCC negotiations. Prior to her role at CSE, she worked at the Earth Institute in New York City, as a Program Manager. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, and a Master of Science in Sustainability Management from Columbia University, New York. She has had professional engagements in India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Maldives. Moderator Pooja Vijay Ramamurthi is an Associate Fellow in CSEP. She has a PhD in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy at the School of Public and international Affairs (STEP) at Princeton University. She studies climate and energy transition policy, particularly focusing on the role that India can play in accelerating domestic and international action towards dercarbonisation.Her work has always been multidisciplinary, where she looks at techno-economic, social and political dimensions of sustainability. She has worked at premier think tanks in India, including the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago and the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy. She has also worked on projects in Ghana and Cambodia. Her work has resulted in her being invited to international level conferences and publications in peer reviewed journals and leading newspapers. She is recipient of the Prize Fellowship for Social Sciences at Princeton University. She has also received her double Master’s degree in Sustainable Energy from the Royal institute of Technology, Sweden and Instituto Superior Tecnico, Portugal via the Innoenergy scholarship granted by the European Union. Please contact Gurmeet Kaur at GKaur@csep.org for general queries and Ayesha Manocha at AManocha@csep.org for media queries.

EXPLAINER: COP 29, Africa's opportunity in global carbon markets

The world is gearing up for the 29th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP 29) which will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11 to 22, 2024. Climate Finance, which is very vital for Africa, will be among the central topics during this conference. It is expected that COP 29 will accelerate the development of better global carbon markets. According to Excellent Hachileka, a programme specialist, climate strategies and policy team at UNDP, across Africa, carbon markets are emerging as a powerful tool to combat climate change. Hachileka argues that these markets entail translating volumes of carbon dioxide reduced through mitigation measures into tradable carbon credits -a valuable commodity that countries, companies and individuals can sell and purchase to offset their emissions. As the international community prepares to gather for COP29, Africa must put its best foot forward and get it right for the continent. This task falls in the hand of Africa Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES). This is a not-for-profit think tank of African experts and practitioners that provides evidence-based technical support to the African Governments. The AGNES was created in 2015 to provide scientific expertise and evidence to inform a common African position in climate change negotiations. Africa is pegging its hope on Agnes to lift the continent’s presence in the global carbonmarket. Historically, Africa had a limited presence in the global carbon market – only 3 per cent of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) carbon credit projects originated from Africa as of 2022. CDM is a United Nations-run program that helps countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions by supporting projects in developing countries. According to a recently released report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Africa is experiencing growth in voluntary carbon markets. CSE says in 2024, one-fifth of the projects listed in top carbon market registries have been coming from Africa, with the bulk of them focused on two main areas: forestry and land use, and community-based projects, particularly those involving household devices like improved cookstoves. What are Carbon Markets? Carbon markets are systems that price carbon emissions and create economic incentives for governments and businesses to either reduce their emissions or pay for reductions made by others. Essentially, buyers—including countries, companies, or individuals purchase certificates that represent financial support for activities that reduce carbon emissions, such as growing trees. These certificates are used by buyers to ‘offset’ their emissions. Buyers are matched with sellers who perform the activities that reduce emissions, generating sellable certificates that are quantified based on the amount of emission reduction achieved. However, they can be divided into two main categories: compliance markets, where industries participate to meet government emission standards and are structured and enforced by legislation, and voluntary markets. In voluntary markets, participants choose to engage in carbon trading beyond regulatory requirements and the market is largely unregulated. Although Africa does not have compliant carbon markets, the voluntary carbon market (VCM) has grown significantly on the continent. Key registries of the VCM, such as Verra’s VCS and the Gold Standard, which together account for over 95 per cent of Africa’s voluntary carbon market projects, reflect this growth. According to CSE, as of March 2024, 1,925 projects across Africa were listed on these two leading voluntary carbon market registries. Of these, 882 projects had been issued carbon credits, totaling approximately 278 million; out of these, 140 million carbon credits had been retired. Some of the earliest carbon market projects in Africa emerged in the late 1990s, beginning with forest conservation initiatives in East Africa. One of the first REDD+ projects in the voluntary carbon market was initiated during this period: the Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project in Kenya. REDD+ stands for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries. Another notable project in Kenya, the Mikoko Pamoja project, was among the first in the world to issue carbon credits for mangrove conservation. Most of the carbon credit projects in Africa are concentrated in two main areas: forestry and land use, and community-based projects particularly those involving household devices like improved cookstoves. These sectors are the leading carbon credit issuers across the continent. How do they work? How relevant are they for both the community and the climate? Clean cookstove projects: Clean cookstove projects in the voluntary carbon market (VCM) involve partnerships between carbon credit project developers and manufacturers or distributors of energy-efficient cookstoves. These stoves are provided to communities, often at a subsidised price or sometimes for free. The idea is that these cookstoves use less fuel and produce fewer emissions compared to traditional stoves, reducing the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere. Project developers then calculate the amount of carbon emissions avoided by using these cleaner stoves and claim carbon offsets for the reduction. These offsets are certified by voluntary carbon offsetting standards and can be sold in the voluntary carbon markets. The revenue generated from selling these offsets helps fund the project and also generates profits for the developers. Cookstove challenges According to the Centre for Science and Environment, a study done in India on cookstove projects identified several issues in the design and implementation of these initiatives. One of them was lack of transparency regarding the ownership of carbon credits. Locals were often unaware that they had signed over their carbon rights to project developers. Another issue was that in some cases, households had even made payments to receive the cookstoves, unaware that the cookstoves were generating carbon credits for the project developers. There was also inadequate monitoring and verification. Despite claims of regular surveys, many households reported minimal or no follow-up from the project developers. The study also criticised the role of third-party validators, who appeared to give projects a clean chit despite apparent discrepancies in their field visits. The study questioned whether these projects genuinely benefited the communities involved. Many locals found the improved cookstoves inconvenient or infrequently used, undermining the projected environmental benefits. The financial benefits derived from carbon credits appeared to disproportionately favor project developers over local communities. Forestry and land Forestry and land use carbon credit projects are designed to sequester/confiscate or take away carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere through changes in land management practices. Forestry and land use-based projects make up about one-fifth of all projects in the voluntary carbon market. Centre for Science and Environment says about 40 per cent of the carbon credits issued have gone to these projects. Some of the examples of interventions under forestry and land use are afforestation and reforestation. These involve planting trees on land that was not previously forested (afforestation) or replanting trees in deforested areas (reforestation). Another project under forestry and land use is avoided deforestation. These projects aim to prevent deforestation or degradation of existing forests. By protecting forests from being cut down, the project avoids the release of carbon stored in the trees. In this list also is sustainable forest management which involves managing forest resources in a way that maintains their biodiversity, productivity, and ecological processes while still allowing for timber and other resource extraction. Proper management helps maintain the forest’s carbon storage capacity. Agroforestry has also been identified as part of forestry and land use carbon credit projects. This involves integrating trees and shrubs into agricultural landscapes, combining forestry and farming. Listed also is wetland restoration. Wetlands store large amounts of carbon in their soil and vegetation. The last project is grassland management where such projects enhance carbon sequestration by improving grazing practices, restoring degraded lands, and managing soil health. According to Centre for Science and Environment, there are 175 forestry and land use-based projects across Africa in four voluntary carbon market registries as of August 2024. The registries are Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), Gold Standard, Architecture for REDD+Transactions; The REDD+ Environmental Excellence Standard (ART TREES), and AmericanCarbon Registry (ACR). Carbon credits issued so far are mostly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Ethiopia.

AQI ‘poor’ in Sept after 6 yrs

New Delhi: Air quality worsened on Wednesday with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 235, categorised as ‘poor', while a ‘haze' enveloped the city for the second consecutive day. This is the first time in six years that the AQI has fallen into the ‘poor' category in Sept, with the last such instance recorded at 219 in Sept 2018. As reported by TOI on Wednesday, Delhi's AQI entered the ‘poor' category at 6 pm on Tuesday. The last time a higher AQI was recorded was over three months ago, on June 19, when it hit 306 in the ‘very poor' category, according to Central Pollution Control Board data. Following the onset of the monsoon on June 28, regular rainfall kept air quality between the ‘satisfactory' and ‘moderate' categories, as rain helps wash away pollutants. However, with no rain in the past six days, pollution levels have surged. Anand Vihar was the most polluted area on Wednesday, with an AQI of 425 at 1pm, placing it in the ‘severe' category. Burari Crossing and Wazirpur were classified as ‘very poor', with AQIs of 307 and 312, respectively, while Sonia Vihar and Jahangirpuri were at the higher end of the ‘poor' category, with readings of 300 and 296. "This is expected with the retreat of rain. This trend will worsen with the onset of winter," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment. Explaining the spike in pollution, Mahesh Palawat, vice-chairman of Skymet Meteorology, said, "During the day, winds are lifting dust due to dry weather. As winds are coming from both directions—northwesterly and southeasterly—pollutants are unable to disperse, causing haziness." He added that there is a chance of light rain on Wednesday night and Thursday. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has decided not to implement the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). CAQM's sub-committee noted, "Delhi's average AQI has already started showing a declining trend, improving to 232 at 5 pm, with further improvement expected." Forecasts from IMD and IITM suggest light showers in the coming days, which should bring the AQI back into the ‘moderate' category. GRAP's Stage I is triggered when the AQI surpasses 200. The commission said it will continue monitoring the situation before deciding whether to invoke Stage-I of GRAP.

DSS resumes sourcing data for pollution ahead of winter spike

Delhi’s local sources of pollution, particularly vehicular emissions, dominated the city’s air quality on Monday, contributing approximately 16% of the total pollution load, according to data from the Centre’s Decision Support System. DSS, which resumed operations ahead of winter, estimates contributions from various pollution sources based on meteorological conditions and a long-term emissions inventory. Despite the detection of farm fires in Punjab and Haryana on satellite imagery, DSS estimated the contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s air quality to be zero on Monday and forecast the same for Tuesday. The contribution of vehicular emissions is expected to slightly drop to 13.4% on Tuesday. Delhi’s air quality, which stood at an average AQI of 167 (moderate) on Monday, saw a marginal rise from Sunday’s AQI of 164. Launched in 2021, the DSS, managed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) under the Union ministry of earth sciences, resumed operations after being paused during the summer when pollution levels were lower. The system estimates pollution contributions and assists pollution control bodies like the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in taking corrective actions. According to DSS data, pollution from neighbouring National Capital Region (NCR) towns, particularly Faridabad, is expected to further impact Delhi’s air quality. Faridabad’s emissions are projected to contribute around 10% to the pollution load on Tuesday, followed by Gurugram (8.2%) and Gautam Buddha Nagar (6%). On Monday, emissions from these three towns contributed 6.5%, 9.2%, and 5%, respectively. Among local sources in Delhi, the residential sector was the second-largest contributor after vehicular emissions, accounting for around 4% of the pollution on Monday, with an expected contribution of roughly 3.4% on Tuesday. Officials highlighted that this year’s emissions inventory, a long-term database of pollution sources, has been updated for greater accuracy. “Till last year, the emissions inventory was from 2018. This means the estimated contribution will be more accurate this year,” said an official involved with DSS. To be sure, DSS does not provide real-time pollution data, only estimates. Although DSS assists in managing pollution sources, the DPCC’s real-time source apportionment study, which was previously conducted by IIT Kanpur, has been delayed. A DPCC official said that they are currently revamping the methodology of data collection and are in search of a new expert institute to run the study. “Thus, resumption of the study may take time,” the official added. In preparation for worsening air quality, Delhi’s environment minister Gopal Rai announced that the Delhi government will release its 21-point Winter Action Plan against pollution on September 25. The plan will focus on real-time data, action on pollution hotspots, coordination with neighbouring states, and steps to curb stubble burning. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said the wind direction is easterly at present, which will only transition to westerly-northwesterly when the monsoon withdraws. “Right now, we have limited cases, and the wind direction is towards Punjab and Haryana. We start to see a spike in contribution towards mid-October, with cases and the contribution generally highest in the last week of October and the first week of November,” she said, stating there is still substantial time to act on farm fire cases. Last year, DSS showed the highest stubble burning contribution was around 35% on November 3. Delhi’s AQI, currently in moderate, often spikes to ‘severe’ – an AQI of over 400 by late October and early November, generally aided by low temperature, high stubble burning cases and local emissions, including possible bursting of firecrackers around Diwali.

Stubble Burning Season Starts: Get ready for bad air in Delhi-NCR from next month

The stubble burning season has officially started, with satellite data recording 124 farm fires in Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh between September 15 and 23. This marks a significant increase from 25 cases in 2023 and shows a fluctuating pattern when compared to 132 fires in 2022 and 16 in 2021. Experts predict a further rise in stubble burning incidents in October as the monsoon withdraws, a TOI report stated. Breakdown of Farm Fires Across States According to data compiled by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, which follows protocols set by the Commission for Air Quality Management, Punjab reported the highest number of farm fires at 69, followed by Haryana with 46, Madhya Pradesh with six, and Uttar Pradesh with three. Notably, 51 of Punjab's fires were concentrated in Amritsar, while Haryana saw significant activity in Karnal (24) and Kurukshetra (8). Need for Immediate Intervention Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, emphasized the urgency of addressing the issue at this early stage. She stated, “It is important to intervene at this early stage of the crop burning season to ensure that both in situ and ex situ solutions are in place for targeted implementation to minimise the problem. The scale of implementation is critical to control this problem. This requires an immediate audit of the infrastructure and systems in place to identify the gaps to guide action.” Current Impact on Delhi’s Air Quality As of now, the impact of stubble burning on Delhi's air quality remains minimal. An official noted that westerly winds are currently blowing, making it unlikely for smoke or pollutants to reach the city. However, he warned that the situation could worsen post-monsoon, with daily stubble burning incidents expected to increase in October. The peak of burning typically occurs in the first half of November, with daily fires often exceeding 3,000. Historical Data on Stubble Burning Between September 15 and November 30, 2023, a total of 39,186 farm fires were reported across Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, NCR districts of Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. This is a decrease compared to 52,992 fires in 2022 and 78,550 in 2021. The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, has noted that while burning incidents were lower last winter, their impact on air quality was still considerable due to specific meteorological conditions.

Real impact of stubble burning to be felt after monsoon’s exit

New Delhi: The stubble burning season has started with satellites recording as many as 124 farm fires in the neighbouring states from Sept 15 to 23. During the same period, the counts stood at 25 in 2023, 132 in 2022 and 16 in 2021. Experts said stubble burning counts were likely to rise in Oct after the withdrawal of the monsoon. Of the 124 farm fires, 69 were in Punjab, 46 in Haryana, six in Madhya Pradesh and three in Uttar Pradesh, shows satellite data compiled by Indian Agricultural Research Institute, which follows the standard protocol 2021 notified by Commission for Air Quality Management in the national capital region and adjoining areas. In Punjab, 51 farm fires have been spotted only in Amritsar. Of the 46 crop residue burning events in Haryana till Sept 23, 24 were witnessed in Karnal and eight in Kurukshetra. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment, said, "It is important to intervene at this early stage of the crop burning season to ensure that both in situ and ex situ solutions are in place for targeted implementation to minimise the problem." "The scale of implementation is critical to control this problem. This requires an immediate audit of the infrastructure and systems in place to identify the gaps to guide action," he added. The impact of stubble burning on Delhi's air quality is so far negligible. "Even westerly winds are blowing in the city and, hence, the wind direction is unfavourable for the transfer of smoke or pollutants to Delhi," said an official. He added that once the monsoon is over, the daily stubble burning counts are likely to go up from Oct. The peak burning, when daily farm fires are over 3,000 in a day, takes place in the first fortnight of Nov. During the stubble burning period from Sept 15 to Nov 30, 39,186 farm fires were reported in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, NCR districts of UP, and Rajasthan in 2023. During the same period, the cumulative paddy residue burning events were 52,992 in 2022 and 78,550 in 2021. Its impact on Delhi's air depends on the wind direction and speed. Paddy residue burning counts decreased in neighbouring states last winter, but its impact was more than in 2021 and 2022 due to meteorological conditions, shows an analysis by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune. New Delhi: The stubble burning season has started with satellites recording as many as 124 farm fires in the neighbouring states from Sept 15 to 23. During the same period, the counts stood at 25 in 2023, 132 in 2022 and 16 in 2021. Experts said stubble burning counts were likely to rise in Oct after the withdrawal of the monsoon. Of the 124 farm fires, 69 were in Punjab, 46 in Haryana, six in Madhya Pradesh and three in Uttar Pradesh, shows satellite data compiled by Indian Agricultural Research Institute, which follows the standard protocol 2021 notified by Commission for Air Quality Management in the national capital region and adjoining areas. In Punjab, 51 farm fires have been spotted only in Amritsar. Of the 46 crop residue burning events in Haryana till Sept 23, 24 were witnessed in Karnal and eight in Kurukshetra. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment, said, "It is important to intervene at this early stage of the crop burning season to ensure that both in situ and ex situ solutions are in place for targeted implementation to minimise the problem." "The scale of implementation is critical to control this problem. This requires an immediate audit of the infrastructure and systems in place to identify the gaps to guide action," he added. The impact of stubble burning on Delhi's air quality is so far negligible. "Even westerly winds are blowing in the city and, hence, the wind direction is unfavourable for the transfer of smoke or pollutants to Delhi," said an official. He added that once the monsoon is over, the daily stubble burning counts are likely to go up from Oct. The peak burning, when daily farm fires are over 3,000 in a day, takes place in the first fortnight of Nov. During the stubble burning period from Sept 15 to Nov 30, 39,186 farm fires were reported in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, NCR districts of UP, and Rajasthan in 2023. During the same period, the cumulative paddy residue burning events were 52,992 in 2022 and 78,550 in 2021. Its impact on Delhi's air depends on the wind direction and speed. Paddy residue burning counts decreased in neighbouring states last winter, but its impact was more than in 2021 and 2022 due to meteorological conditions, shows an analysis by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune.

Anup Pandey of Nav Bharat Times wins Journalist of the Year award

Times Group’s Nav Bharat Times journalist Anup Pandey was awarded ‘Journalist of the Year’ by the IIMC Alumni Association on Monday. Shagun Kapil of Down To Earth magazine won the Agriculture Reporter award, Rajat Mishra of Republic TV for ‘Publishing Reporting’, Abhinav Goel of ABVP News in ‘Broadcast Reporting’, Surabhi Singh for ‘Producer’, Muhammad Sabith U M of Mathrubhumi Online in ‘Publishing Reporting’, Shatarupa Samantaraya of Argus News, Bhubaneswar for ‘Broadcast Reporting in Indian Languages’, Saransh Jain in ‘Advertising’, Shillpi A Singh in ‘PR’, Ofactor in ‘Ad Agency’, and Kaizzen in ‘PR Agency’ received the winners’ award. Furthermore, the ‘Jury Special Mention’ category was a platform to recognize the commendable efforts of applicants who narrowly missed the top spot. The awardees in this category included Abhishek Angad, Ritwika Mitra, Ashutosh Mishra, Manish Mishra, and Nidhi Tiwari in the ‘Journalist of the Year’ category, Diwash Gahatraj in Agriculture Reporting, Parimal Kumar and Vishnukant Tiwari in Broadcast Reporting, Rohan Kathpalia in the Producer of the Year category, and Supriya Sundriyal and Nikhil Swami in the ‘PR’ category. Awards auditor Unni Rajen Shanker, convenor Vineet Handa, coordinator Puja Mishra, and General Secretary Deeksha Saksena released a souvenir book featuring profiles and works of award winners. Former Principal DG of PIB Kuldeep Singh Dhatwalia, ADG Raj Kumar, Spl. Commissioner of Delhi Govt Sushil Singh; MD of US-India Business Council Rahul Sharma and journalists Prof. Govind Singh, Neelesh Misra, Rupa Jha, Aparna Dwivedi, Lola Nayar, Gyaneshwar Nitin Pradhan, Rajesh Priyadarshi, Prabhash Jha, Alok Kumar, Priyadarshan, Anupam Srivastava, Sumit Awasthi, Manoj Malayanil, Pramod Chauhan, Mihir Ranjan, Prasad Sanyal, Manoj Roorkiwal, Harvir Singh, SP Singh, Shishir Sinha, Om Prakash were among those present on the occassion.

Kenya dominates Carbon market amid doubts in transparency

Kenya dominates the growing voluntary carbon market in Africa with forestry and clean energy projects leading the markets. The 2024 report by Centre for Science and Environment titled Carbon Markets in Africa reveals that the continent’s drive for carbon credits continues to rise despite transparency concerns. In the forestry and land use sector, Kenya has been issued 2.5 billion credits in the forestry and 26.7 billion in the REDD+ projects. Carbon markets are systems that price carbon emissions and create economic incentives for governments and businesses to either reduce their own emissions or pay for reductions made by others. Through this, buyers, including countries, companies or individuals, purchase certificates that represent financial support for activities that reduce carbon emissions, such as growing trees. These certificates are used by buyers to offset their own emissions. Kenya’s carbon market landscape is dominated by forestry projects and those in the cookstove distribution industry. In the cookstove industry, Kenya has the largest share of projects, Uganda ranks second followed closely by Rwanda. By August 2024, Kenya was among the top ten countries that had the highest forestry and land use carbon credit projects. Kenya ranked second after DR Congo in Africa and 9th globally. US, Peru, Brazil, Indonesia, Cambodia and Guyana currently dominate the market globally. Forestry and land use carbon credit projects are designed to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through changes in land management practices. Forestry and land-use based projects make up about one-fifth of all projects in the voluntary carbon market. On the other hand, clean cookstove projects involve partnerships between carbon credit project developers and manufacturers or distributors of energy-efficient cookstoves. The stoves are provided to communities, often at a subsidised price or sometimes for free. Project developers then calculate the amount of carbon emissions avoided by using these cleaner stoves and claim carbon offsets for the reduction. Kenya currently ranks second after Uganda in cookstove projects in the pipeline. Cookstove projects in Kenya are among the 86 million carbon credits that had been issued to 380 cookstove-based carbon credit projects in Africa by March 2024. Although Africa historically has had a minimal presence in the carbon market, there has been a massive increase in the number of upcoming projects in Africa. The report indicates that by 2024, the region was responsible for about one-fifth of the projects listed in top carbon market registries. Investment in the projects also went up, making up nearly 17 per cent of the total investment in voluntary carbon projects The report shows that many investors in the carbon market are heavily investing in the cookstove distribution industry, which is currently thriving with lucrative returns for both developers and investors. Carbon credits from cookstoves are given a period of five to seven years considering the cookstove’s life. A cookstove could generate 10-28 carbon credits. Current prices in the market are between Sh900 and 1300 per credit for cookstove projects. This means Sh9,000-36,000 could be earned per cookstove. Countries are also in a rush to tap the billions of climate finance through forestry and land use carbon credits by undertaking afforestation projects and avoiding deforestation.

India-EU FTA: 9th round of negotiations to start on September 23

The ninth round of India-EU free trade agreement talks, which starts on Monday in the Indian capital, will also discuss “concerns over sustainability measures” along with “core” trade issues. India will raise concerns of its stakeholders about the European Union’s move to impose unequitable sustainability regulations -- labour standards, deforestation rules and carbon tax -- at the five-day free trade talk starting Monday because such stringent measures would hamper Indian exports to the EU and make its small and medium enterprises uncompetitive, people aware of the development said. The ninth round of India-EU free trade agreement talks, which starts on Monday in the Indian capital, will also discuss “concerns over sustainability measures” along with “core” trade issues, said the people cited above, requesting anonymity. Core issues on the negotiating table include trade in goods and services, digital trade, investment protection, government procurement and intellectual property rights (IPRs), they added. “Trade negotiations must be based on the principle of equity. The EU cannot treat the developing Indian economy at par with developed economies and expect it to follow stringent and costly environmental measures,” he said. HT on August 26 reported that India will simultaneously discuss sustainability measures such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and EU deforestation regulation (EUDR) with the 27-nation bloc in the ninth round of FTA talks. The two partners have already completed eight rounds of talks (held on June 24-28 in Brussels), leading to the conclusion of two chapters so far — one on small and medium enterprises and the other on sustainable food systems. According to a report released in July this year by independent think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the carbon tax burden for India is estimated to be the equivalent of 0.05% of its gross domestic product. The EU is India’s second-biggest export destination with about $76 billion of merchandise exports in 2023-24. It imported goods worth more than $59 billion that year. The Indian side believes CBAM is a form of tax that can lead to tariffs of up to 35% on imports of high-carbon goods such as cement, aluminium, fertilisers, chemicals including hydrogen, iron and steel from India. CBAM will be levied on carbon intensive products to offset “carbon leakage” by importing high-carbon goods. Carbon leakage occurs when firms in the EU move carbon-intensive production abroad to countries, where less stringent climate policies are in place, or when EU products get replaced by more carbon-intensive imports. The tax is being implemented in phases from October 2023 and will become fully effective from January 2026.

We need politics of inclusion

We know we stand at a crossroads. Unsustainable growth means we are hurtling towards climate catastrophe and inequitable growth means we are hurtling towards increased poverty, increased marginalisation and increased anger. Our learning in India is that growth that is not affordable, in other words not equitable, cannot be sustainable. This, then, is the agenda for the future. Consider the challenge of Delhi’s toxic air pollution. It’s not that we are not trying to make a difference. All coal plants have been shut; pet coke import (incidentally the ones that the United States exports as it is toxic for local use) has been banned; and we are switching to the cleanest fuels and vehicle technology. Despite these incremental actions, we stay behind the pollution crisis. My colleagues estimate that air pollution in Delhi has reduced by 25 per cent over the past three years, as compared to the previous three years; but it still needs to be reduced by 65 per cent to get what you will call clean air. The reason is simple: today less than 20 per cent of my city drive in cars to work; roughly 25 per cent own cars. But these vehicle owners take 90 per cent of the road space. The question is, if the demand of just 20 per cent is leading to huge congestion and pollution, where and how can the city find the road and air space for all? This is where the environmentalism of the poor kicks in. The fact is, if the rich are to breathe clean air, we need to rework mobility for all. We cannot think of adding a few buses or trams or metros; we need to transform mobility so that it works for the rich and the poor. This means combining affordability and convenience and safety. This is also the case with energy. Many households in my world still use biomass to cook food because they are poor. These air pollutants, which are killing poor people, are also contaminating the airshed they share with the rich. So, if we want clean air, we will have to get the rich out of their polluting vehicles, but we will also have to ensure that the poor households get options to move out of dirty fuels. Their energy transition is important for clean air. This is why without inclusive growth, we cannot have sustainability. The opportunity is also enormous. If we reinvent for transformative action we will focus on the needs of the poor women and provide them viable, affordable options to leapfrog — from non-fossil dirty fuels to non-fossil clean fuels. But this is where the world needs leadership so that finance for the energy transition is concessional and provides the opportunity to scale up the system for the poorest in the world. The challenge of climate change is a mirror to the air pollution challenge we face in Delhi.In 1990, my colleague Anil Agarwal and I argued in our publication “Global Warming in an Unequal World” that the world cannot combat climate change unless the agreement is fair and equitable. Today, the same issue is on the table. If the solutions cannot meet the needs of all — are equitable — they will not work. This is where we need to understand this environmentalism of the poor again. It is clear that events in our world are spiralling out of control. Every year is the hottest year, till the next year comes around. Then a new record is broken. From forest fires, to increasing frequency and intensity of storms to blistering cold waves and scorching heat — it’s all getting worse. Then we face the most inconvenient truth. At current rates, the world will run out of the carbon budget — how much it can emit to limit global warming to 1.5°C — by 2030. But there are vast numbers of people who do not have access to basic energy. They need energy for their development. This is why we need cooperation so that future development can be low-carbon for all. It is clear that increasing numbers of disasters because of growing intensity and frequency of weird and abnormal weather will make the poor, poorer. Their impoverishment and marginalisation will add to their desperation to move away from their lands and to seek alternative livelihoods. Their only choice will be to migrate — move to the city; move to another country. The double-jeopardy, as I have called it, in the interconnected world is the push — lack of options — and the pull — bright lights that suggest a choice to better futures. This will add to the already volatile situation of boat people and migrants at the border walls, making our world insecure and violent. This is the cycle of destructive change that we must fight. Our globalised world is inter-connected and inter-dependent, and we must recognise this. Sustainable development is not possible if it is not equitable. Growth has to be affordable and inclusive for it to be sustainable. But all this will not happen, unless we articulate that the environmental challenge is not technocratic but political. We cannot neuter the politics of access, justice and rights and hope to fix the environment or indeed development. (Writer is Director General of CSE and editor of Down To Earth, an environmentalist who pushes for changes in policies, practices and mindsets)

Liquid Assets-Africa: Unlocking Water Potential for Growth

23 September 2024 (IDN) — Africa stands on the edge of a severe water crisis, threatening its ability to meet critical Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a new report reveals. Despite the continent’s vast water resources, poor management, overexploitation, and the escalating effects of climate change are fueling widespread water insecurity. The State of Africa’s Environment 2024 report, published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), based in New Delhi (India), highlights that Africa is one of the world’s most water-stressed regions. Paradoxically, this is happening in a continent rich in water resources. The root cause, according to the report, is inefficient water management and overuse. Climate change has only worsened the situation, with water demand projected to soar by 283% between 2005 and 2030. “The scarcity of water that is being faced by Africa and other regions of the world is as much about the lack of the resource as its mismanagement,” said Sunita Narain, environmental activist and CSE Director General, at the report’s launch. “Our water crisis is in our inability to build an affordable system of water management for people today.” Plenty water, short on management Credit: Busani Bafana According to the report, presented during a media briefing organized by CSE and the Media for Science, Environment, Health, and Agriculture (MESHA), based in Nairobi (Kenya), Africa is in a paradox: an abundance of water but a lack of effective management “Water is fundamental to life, livelihoods, and the economy. Without addressing water management, we will struggle to get anything right—especially in an era of climate change,” said Narain, urging for immediate action. She emphasized that while Africa has the policies in place, the challenge lies in moving from policy to implementation. “Scale only comes when we reinvent water conservation so that communities gain both access to water and affordable sewage treatment,” Narain said in an interview. The report highlights regional disparities across the continent. North African nations like Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia rank among the world’s top 10 most water-stressed countries. Meanwhile, sub-Saharan Africa grapples with severe water pollution, with 60% of its wastewater going untreated and 36% of the population facing water insecurity. Far-Reaching Impacts of the Water Crisis The consequences of Africa’s water crisis extend well beyond basic access to clean water. The lack of sanitation and clean water significantly contributes to the spread of waterborne diseases like cholera and diarrhea, which remain widespread. Currently, 70% of Africa’s wastewater is untreated, contaminating water sources and threatening public health. Furthermore, water scarcity is fueling conflicts, displacement, and migration, particularly in regions that share transboundary rivers. Hope Through Solutions Despite the dire situation, there is hope. Africa has the opportunity to turn the tide on its water crisis by adopting Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) practices, promoting water-efficient technologies, and prioritizing rainwater harvesting. The report emphasizes rainwater harvesting as a vital strategy, with the potential to increase water availability by up to 30%. “We must capture every raindrop,” Narain stressed, highlighting the importance of decentralized water systems and improved storage to prevent pollution of harvested water. Dhesigen Naidoo, an advisor to South Africa’s Presidential Climate Commission, pointed out that climate change acts as a “threat multiplier,” increasing the intensity of droughts and floods. This, in turn, exacerbates food insecurity and widens inequalities. Naidoo called for investment in water infrastructure, advocating for innovative funding mechanisms such as blended finance. A Global Responsibility At the recent Summit of the Future in New York, global leaders adopted a Pact for the Future, which aims to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs. SDG 6 focuses on water and sanitation. Many African countries, however, are far from meeting water and sanitation goals underscoring the need for immediate investment in water infrastructure. “We know the global goals are set, and we know we are falling behind,” Narain said. “It’s not just about finance, —it’s about the method and changing how we manage water resources.” The report also calls for stronger water governance and more effective policy frameworks. Francis Oremo, senior program manager at the Institute for Law and Environmental Governance (ILEG), emphasized the importance of localized solutions: “In Africa’s situation, water governance is terrible,” said Oremo, “As a means to an end, water governance is good if it can solve water challenges and bad if it does not respond to place-based needs.” Africa’s water crisis is a complex challenge tied to sustainable development, climate resilience, and governance. Yet with the right policies, investments, and public awareness, the continent can transform its water struggles into opportunities for growth and sustainability. [IDN-InDepthNews] Collage of a picture of the launch of water insecurity report by Busani Bfana showing MESHA CEO Daniel Agkhan, CSE director general Sunita Narain and CEO’s Souparno Banerjee (left-right) and water insecurity graphic from CSE.

Where does Aravalli end? Lack of clarity leads to rampant mining; furious Haryana villagers

Rameshwar Singh heard the first boom at 10 pm while he was locking the gates to his house in Haryana’s Rajawas village, on the foothills of the Aravallis. The ground beneath his feet shuddered. The dogs started howling. For ten minutes, the booms and blasts got faster and louder. The stone miners, who were operating in the neighhouring village, Ushmapur, some two kilometres away, were moving closer to Rajawas after a gap of eight years. For Singh and the other villagers, it was a foreshadowing of the dark times back in 2016 when his village hosted a stone mine. It had scarred the land. Groundwater also sank to alarmingly low levels. Half the villagers left their homes. The remaining contracted respiratory ailments, skin infections and other diseases, Singh said. “The blasts from the mines used to feel like earthquakes. People had to leave their homes because the walls and the ground cracked. Nearly everyone in the village now has some form of respiratory infection.” The 68-year-old farmer blames his chronic bronchitis on the mining activities of 2016. “We will not allow another mine to come up here,” he said. Rajawas and hundreds of villages along the Aravalli Range are fighting a battle against rampant illegal and legal stone mines. Despite court orders, including a May 2024 Supreme Court ban on fresh mining leases in the Aravallis, the mountains are being mindlessly ravaged for stones to fuel the state’s focus on high-rise apartments, roads and office complexes. It has pitted villagers against miners, environmental activists against the Haryana government, with the police filing complaints and counter-complaints. The irony is that Rajawas is part of the 22,400 hectares area that has been classified as protected forests. The Centre marked this portion of the hills for compensatory afforestation to make up for the loss of a million trees in the Great Nicobar, where the Narendra Modi government is undertaking a mega-infrastructure project. However, a state ministry official with the mining department told ThePrint that there are no illegal mining operations on the Haryana side of the Aravallis. The mining operation at the village near Rajawas is sanctioned. And that’s because it’s not considered part of the mountain range. There is no official record of which mountains fall under the Aravallis, even though it’s one of the oldest ranges in India, if not the world. “The area where the new mines are allotted in the hill near Rajawas is not part of the Aravallis. It is a different hill. Its close proximity to the range could create this confusion, but we are following all rules here,” said the official who did not want to be named. Stretching from Champaner in Gujarat to Delhi, passing through Rajasthan and Haryana, the 693-km Aravalli Range acts as a groundwater recharge zone and a protective barrier against the desertification of the Delhi-NCR region. The rampant mining activities have come at a high environmental and human cost. But even “biologists consider the Haryana Aravallis as an ecological desert, overgrown with Prosopis and degraded in many parts,” as per a 2019 survey by the Centre for Ecology Development and Research (CEDAR) and World Wide Fund (WWF) India. Environmentalists warned that these mines are also drying up the region’s groundwater, polluting the skies. The latest report by the Haryana state government showed that Mahendragarh, the district under which Rajawas falls, has the first traces of groundwater only at a depth of 2,000 feet. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy) at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said that the Aravallis act as a “green fence” for the already vulnerable Delhi-NCR region. “The Aravallis essentially acts as a sink, which filters out many greenhouse gases. It performs essential ecological services. The range is also a vital water recharge point for a region that is becoming exceedingly water-parched,” warned Roychowdhury.

Here's panacea to Africa's perennial water stress

Touring Zanzibar is many a person’s wish, considering its scenic beaches, luxurious hotels and blend of vibrant cultures. Behind the scenes however, residents of the island paradise desire rescue from perennial water stress, amid plenty, challenges that threaten their wellbeing and future as a tourist destination. The latest “State of Africa’s Report” brings out water security issue in relatable ways. Qualifying Zanzibar as one of the driest regions in the world, and relying on more information from Zanzibar Water Authority, the report by the Centre for Science and Environment brings out its inability to supply even half of the daily needed 200 million litres freshwater. This inadvertently burdens women and girls, who walk long distances in search of the commodity, at the expense of education and health, including reproductive health services. But why Zanzibar, an Indian Ocean archipelago? Blame its vulnerability on effects of climate change, including rising temperatures and erratic weather patterns that have led to depletion of groundwater sources and increased salinity. Insufficient waste management has also encouraged discharge of untreated waste into the ocean, contaminating the water and raising concerns on safety of the seafood consumed locally. Besides, inadequate infrastructure and poor waste management, despite a 2022 comprehensive water investment plan whose fruit should be visible by 2027, have been cited. That means cholera and other waterborne diseases linger. Drinking water is scarce despite efforts by organisations such as CDC and UNICEF to improve water quality through bulk chlorination and monitoring. Yet Zanzibar is not alone in this. During the launch of the “State of Africa’s Environment” in Nairobi last week, speaker after speaker brought out the dire, yet correctable water security situation in the continent. An Environment expert, Dr Francis Oremo, showed how amid plenty, 45 of Africa’s 54 nations still qualify as water-stressed, due to poor governance.

Why cities need action plans to cope with muggier, hotter monsoons

North India's monsoon is becoming more uncomfortable due to rising humidity, necessitating urgent urban planning and heat mitigation strategies. The monsoon, widely anticipated every year in the hope of bringing respite from the searing summer heat, in north Indian cities is fast becoming “more thermally uncomfortable” than the pre-monsoon season, according to recent studies. Simply put, despite ample rain in recent years, the monsoon has not alleviated physical heat discomfort as expected. Cities end up suffering the most from weather extremes with too many people living and working in cramped and poorly provisioned spaces. But while there is growing awareness of the challenge posed by dry heat and high temperatures, administrative policies are yet to recognise the combined effects of heat and humidity on human health and productivity. Physiologically, humid heat is more dangerous than dry heat. It compromises the body’s natural cooling process, preventing sweat from evaporating from the skin. People get dehydrated much faster, going into heat exhaustion, heat stroke and more dangerously, hyperthermia and organ shock. With humid heat getting more intense in cities, experts say nuanced and localised changes to the emergency response, existing heat mitigation action plans and urban planning are urgently required. The decision-making, they underline, must be informed by solid evidence and detailed vulnerability assessment. Explaining the variability A manifestation of the climate crisis and global warming, humidity levels are rising across all Indian cities. However, it is exceptionally high in north India and even the central Deccan, which are usually drier areas, said Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, urban lab at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a Delhi-based green think tank.