• Down To Earth

India Unveils Mission Mausam to Elevate Weather Forecasting and Combat Climate Change

The Union Cabinet has approved Mission Mausam to enhance India's ability to predict and respond to extreme weather events and climate change impacts. With a budget of Rs 2,000 crore over two years, the mission will be implemented by three key institutions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES): the India Meteorological Department, the Indian Institute of Trop Climate change is causing more extreme weather events like heavy rainfall, heatwaves, and cyclones. Experts note that these events are becoming harder to predict due to shifting atmospheric and oceanic patterns. According to the Centre for Science and Environment's State of Environment 2024 report, India experienced extreme weather events on 318 out of 365 days in 2023. All states and Union territories faced such events at least once.

• Down To Earth

Himalayas Need Urgent Attention: 65% Faster Loss Of Glacier Mass Leading To Irreversible Changes

In the last decade, the Himalayan region in India has accounted for 44 per cent of all the disasters reported in the country, mostly in Uttarakhand. More than 192 incidents of floods, landslides and thunderstorms have been reported in 10 years with cloudbursts and torrential rains experienced in the region in 2023 as curtain-raisers for the future. Not more than a month ago, heavy rain lashed Uttarakhand, disrupting normal life. Experts believe that this will become more pronounced with every passing year. This assessment of the Himalayan region and the impacts of climate change are published in the State of India’s Environment 2024 report, released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down To Earth magazine. As per the report, the Hindu Kush Himalayas have seen a 65 per cent faster loss of glacier mass. The ice melt from glaciers is creating new glacial lakes. The cloudbursts are triggering overflows in the lakes and floods in the area. Overall, the Himalayas have already lost more than 40 per cent of their ice, and are likely to lose up to 75 per cent in the next 75 years. The vegetation line in the Himalayas is also shifting upwards at the rate of 11 to 54 m per decade. Over the last few years, scientists have been warning about the impact of global warming on the Himalayas and the entire ecosystem. While the authorities design appropriate actions to stabilise the vegetation, increasing danger to human life due to the changes in the Himalayan region has no alternative. Decline of snow-covered areas in the Himalayas The Himalayas are a major source of water supply not only for India but several other countries. It is reported that about 2,000 cubic kilometres of water are stored in the Himalayas - often called the water tower of Asia. However, the water in the Himalayas has started decreasing with glaciers shrinking rapidly. Decreasing seasonal snowfall Former scientist of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dr DP Dobhal said that global warming has caused a decrease in snow in the upper region of the Himalayas, which after melting leads to glacier melting. This is deteriorating the health of the glaciers in the Himalayas at a rapid speed. Snow melts earlier than before Scientists say that the range of snowfall has moved 50 meters upwards. This is a direct effect of the glacier on the Himalayas. Scientists observe that the snow used to start melting in the higher Himalayan region from the end of June, however, the time has shifted to April making it an early melting of snow as well as glaciers. This is creating other climate changes in the region including floods and cloudbursts. Worrying events in the Himalayas In the last five years, the natural calamities caused by climate change have increased rapidly. These incidents are a concern for scientists along with preparing plans to avoid its worst consequences. Several incidents have been reported of avalanches in the higher Himalayan regions, majorly in Kedarnath with 5 incidents since 2022. Similarly, the rapid erosion of moraine (existing sand on glaciers) causes an exceeding number of landslides. Forest fires causing black carbon on glaciers The threat of black carbon on Himalayan glaciers is increasing rapidly. The soaring temperature in the Himalayan region has caused multiple incidents causing carbon emissions that eventually reach the glaciers. Scientists say, the black carbon absorbs heat and then the temperature of that area increases. Fire in the forests of Uttarakhand and other Himalayan regions is reducing the green space and also affecting the upper Himalayan region. Gangotri and Malari glaciers lose lifespan According to Himalayan researcher Dr Vipin Kumar, areas like Gangotri and Malari, which were laden with glaciers, are severely affected by tourists. The prime reason for glacier decline in these areas is road construction leading to carbon emission, therefore, building heat in the environment around. Talking about the adverse effects of climate change in Uttarakhand and other Himalayan regions, environmentalist Dr Anil Joshi, in conversation with ETV Bharat said, there’s a dire need to conserve natural resources like rivers and jungles. “Drylands should be converted into forests and there should be adequate water storage tanks. These steps will lead to growing vegetation and control flood-like situations,” he said. He further said that until the state is completely covered with trees, the target to control climate change is not possible. Dr Joshi pointed out that the increased heat in India and other countries is a result of global warming. “We can’t stop global warming nor can we control its effect on glaciers, but what we can do is control the temperature of our surrounding areas. There should be no tempering with upper Himalayan areas and tourism should be completely banned,” he opines. The environmentalist, who is also a recipient of Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India, said that the government needs to include ecology in all the plans and policies of the country. Additionally, the Himalayas are not a place for tourism, rather every individual should think about conserving nature and its resources.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Atasi Polusi Udara, Pemerintah Berupaya Tingkatkan Standar Bahan Bakar

Jakarta: Deputi Bidang Koordinasi Transportasi dan Infrastruktur Kementerian Koordinator Bidang Maritim dan Investasi (Kemenko Marves) Rachmat Kaimuddin mengatakan menyelesaikan masalah polusi udara perlu melibatkan banyak pihak. Dari data pemerintah menunjukkan polusi udara di Jakarta masih disebabkan emisi gas buang kendaraan bermotor. Kemenko Marves sedang berupaya meningkatkan standar bahan bakar sebelum akhir masa pemerintahan untuk mengatasi polusi udara. Meskipun Indonesia sudah menerapkan dan memproduksi kendaraan berstandar EURO4, tapi masih ada produksi bahan bakar yang berada di bawah standar itu. “Kita butuh menyediakan bahan bakar berkualitas baik untuk masyarakat,” kata Rachmat dalam keterangan tertulis, Senin, 9 September 2024. EURO4 adalah standar yang menetapkan batas pada polutan dalam emisi gas buang kendaraan bermotor dari pembakaran bahan bakar, seperti sulfur dan karbon monoksida, dan nitrogen oksida. Rachmat menyampaikan Indonesia telah memberikan insentif fiskal untuk adopsi kendaraan listrik dan merencanakan pembangunan kawasan rendah emisi (LEZ). Kedua kebijakan ini akan membutuhkan waktu dan perencanaan yang baik. Sementara itu, penasihat ClimateWorks Foundation dan ViriyaENB, Catherine Witherspoon, mengatakan ada tiga aspek pengendalian polusi udara. Pertama, ilmu pengetahuan dan riset. “Memantau kualitas udara membutuhkan penghitungan (komponen kualitas udara). Untuk itu, harus ada penetapan parameter yang dapat menjadi alat ukur,” ujar Catherine dalam lokakarya bertajuk 'Advancing Science-based Local Action to Combat Air Pollution in Greater Jakarta' yang diselenggarakan Clean Air Asia dan ViriyaENB di Jakarta, beberapa waktu lalu. Kedua, penanggulangan polusi udara harus memperhatikan dampak ekonomi, terutama di sektor swasta. Catherine melihat pemerintah berperan sebagai pihak yang menyamaratakan posisi antara perusahaan yang berusaha mengurangi emisinya dengan perusahaan yang enggan menekan emisi. Terakhir, dibutuhkan perubahan perilaku untuk mendorong masyarakat dapat menghasilkan lebih sedikit emisi. Misalnya melalui pembuatan kebijakan rendah emisi. Direktur Eksekutif Riset dan Advokasi Center for Science and Environment, Anumita Roychowdhury, menjelaskan pemerintahan Delhi di India telah mengurangi emisi transportasi dengan menekan penggunaan bahan bakar diesel. “Sebelumnya, penjualan kendaraan berbahan bakar diesel penjualannya mencapai 75 persen. Sekarang hanya 7 persen. Sekitar 89 persen kendaraan di Delhi sudah memenuhi standar EURO4 atau 6,“ kata Anumita. Kerja sama penanggulangan polusi udara membutuhkan koordinasi ketat dengan lembaga pemerintah. Poin tersebut disampaikan Head of Automotive Emission Laboratory Pollution Control Department, Ittipol Pawarmart. “Misalnya, perlu ada koordinasi dengan kementerian lingkungan hidup. Koordinasi dan komunikasi ini penting agar para ahli dapat memberikan masukan kuat untuk kebijakan,“ kata dia. Dia menambahkan kerja sama juga perlu dilakukan dengan lembaga-lembaga internasional dan sektor swasta. Ittipol mengatakan Januari 2024, pemerintah Thailand telah menerapkan standar EURO5 untuk kendaraan bermotor sebagai hasil dari advokasi. Project Manager Assessment and Modeling at Beijing Transport Energy and Environment Center, He Weinan menyampaikan dalam kurun waktu 2013-2023, Beijing berhasil menekan pencemaran particulate matter 2,5 dari 100 parts per million (ppm) menjadi 32 ppm. Dia mengungkapkan empat pelajaran dari Beijing. Pertama, butuh analisis tata ruang kota untuk mengatur alur transportasi. Kedua, harus ada perubahan perilaku bepergian orang dalam penggunaan moda transportasi. Ketiga, penggunaan bahan bakar rendah sulfur yang bisa menekan emisi dari kendaraan bermotor di perkotaan. Terakhir, mendorong adopsi kendaraan rendah emisi seperti kendaraan listrik. Di kesempatan yang sama, negara-negara lain mendorong penggunaan penindakan hukum pada pelanggar, dan mendorong keterlibatan swasta untuk mendorong pendanaan. Selain itu, beberapa perwakilan daerah yang hadir menyampaikan kesediaan untuk meningkatkan kerja sama dengan daerah sekitarnya, serta meningkatkan pengujian emisi kendaraan bermotor.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

21 cities see 40% reduction in major pollutants. Which are they?

A reduction of 40 per cent in PM 10 pollutants has been witnessed in 21 cities, including Varanasi, as per the latest environment ministry data. Particulate Matter (PM 10), a major air pollutant, are particles with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less which are small enough to pass through the throat and nose and enter the lungs and can cause various illnesses. While reviewing the Clean Air Action Plans being implemented in 131 cities, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said that 21 cities have shown a 40 per cent reduction in PM 10 levels as compared to 2017-18 and 51 cities have achieved 20 per cent reduction in the proliferation of harmful pollutant into the air. Major causes of PM 10 are dust from unsealed roads, smoke from fires, sea salt, vehicular exhausts, pollution from industries, incomplete combustion, cooking and chemical reactions in the atmosphere. According to the data, the cities that performed better and achieved 40 per cent reduction include Varanasi, Dehradun, Dhanbad, Firozabad, Moradabad, Kohima, Kanpur, Greater Mumbai, Rishikesh, Kadapa etc. The cities that fared worst in terms of achieving the targets include Meerut, Hubli-Dharwad, Ujjain, Nagpur, Madurai, Chennai, Ludhiana, Pune etc. that saw recorded an improvement up to only 10 percent in the PM 10 levels. In Delhi, where the annual concentrations of PM10 have increased significantly over the last two decades making the national capital the second-most polluted capital city in the world, the reduction in PM 10 levels was between 10 to 20 per cent as per the data revealed by the Centre. Other cities that fall in this category include Thane, Howrah, Jhansi, Devanagree, Patiala, Jaipur, Alwar, Latur etc. This comes a week after the Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai in a letter to the presidents of Delhi units of the BJP and Congress, requested for “positive suggestions” to help reduce the city’s pollution for incorporation into the Winter Action Plan. Rai cited a report of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and claimed that only 31 per cent of the pollution in the capital is caused locally while the rest comes from NCR, referring to stubble burning in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Air pollution in Delhi, especially in the months of October-November, has long been a point of contention between the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government and the opposition parties, especially the BJP. Yadav who chaired the 4th meeting of the Apex Committee of National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) on the occasion of Swachh Vayu Diwas (International Day of Clean Air for blue skies) on Sunday said that a performance-based grant of Rs. 19,612 crore has been allocated to 131 cities for implementation of city action plans from 2019-20 to 2025-26. Out of this, Rs. 11,211 crore has been provided so far to achieve the targets of 40 reduction and National Ambient Air Quality Standards by 2025-26. The minister also highlighted the creation of 3776 hectares of Nagar Van/Vatikas under Nagar Van Yojana in 64 cities. He also commended the extensive tree plantation drives conducted in 131 cities under ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, a global campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Hyderabad improves in air quality; Surat tops national clean air ranking

Hyderabad: Achieving a 20-30 percent reduction in PM10 levels, Hyderabad has been recognised in the Swachh Vayu Survekshan (Clean Air Survey) Awards. This progress places the city among the 16 cities to see a 20-30 percent reduction in PM10 levels. In the National Clean Air City Awards, presented by the Union Environment Ministry during the Swachh Vayu Survekshan-2024, Nalgonda has emerged as the leading city for its air quality efforts. This recognition was part of a national workshop celebrating the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies. Surat has secured the top position among Indian cities for air quality improvements, followed by Jabalpur and Agra, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). According to CPCB data, 95 out of the 131 cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) have shown significant progress in air quality, with 21 cities achieving over 40 percent reduction in PM10 pollution compared to 2017-18 levels. What is Swachh Vayu Survekshan? Swachh Vayu Survekshan is an initiative by the environment ministry to rank cities based on the implementation of activities approved under the city action plan and air quality in cities covered under NCAP. These cities were awarded for significant improvements in air quality through various best practices to reduce air pollution. Key activities included paving roads, promoting mechanical sweeping, bioremediation of legacy waste, solid waste management, converting reclaimed land from dump sites into green spaces, greenbelt development, intelligent traffic management systems, and Miyawaki afforestation. A Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) assessment released in July found that road dust mitigation has been the primary focus of NCAP, which was launched in 2019 as the first effort to set clean air targets for 131 polluted cities and reduce particulate pollution nationally.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Surat claims top spot in India’s air quality rankings

Surat has emerged as the leading city in India for air quality improvements, followed by Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) and Agra (Uttar Pradesh). These three cities with population of more than one million, have topped the Swachh Vayu Survekshan (clean air survey) Awards for clean air, the government announced on Saturday. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma presented the awards to the best-performing cities where the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is being implemented. In the category for population between 300,000 and 1 million, Firozabad (Uttar Pradesh), Amravati (Maharashtra) and Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh) were recognised as the top three and for cities with fewer than 300,000 people, the toppers were Raebareli (Uttar Pradesh), Nalgonda (Telangana) and Nalagarh (Himachal Pradesh). Municipal commissioners of winning cities were awarded cash prizes, trophies and certificates. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) reported that 51 cities have shown a reduction in PM10 levels by more than 20 per cent compared to the base year 2017-18, with 21 of these cities achieving a reduction of over 40 per cent. According to the NCAP assessment document, sectors given weightage include biomass and municipal solid waste burning, road dust, dust from construction and demolition waste, vehicular emissions and industrial emissions, among others. Experts have previously noted that NCAP does not focus on combustion sources and may not be effectively curbing toxic emissions. A Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) assessment released in July found that road dust mitigation has been the primary focus of NCAP, which was launched in 2019 as the first effort to set clean air targets for 131 polluted cities and reduce particulate pollution nationally. The assessment revealed that 64 per cent of the total funds (Rs 10,566 crore) has been allocated to road paving, widening, pothole repair, water sprinkling and mechanical sweepers. Only 14.51 per cent of funding has been used for controlling biomass burning, 12.63 per cent for reducing vehicular pollution and a mere 0.61 per cent for controlling industrial pollution. "The primary focus of the funding is thus road dust mitigation," the assessment said. NCAP aims to reduce particulate pollution by up to 40 per cent by 2025-26 from the base year of 2019-20. It is India's first performance-linked funding programme to improve air quality. Originally, NCAP was planned to tackle both PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in the 131 non-attainment cities. In practice, only PM10 concentration has been considered for performance assessment. PM2.5, the more harmful fraction largely emitted from combustion sources, has been neglected, according to CSE findings.

• Director General Office

जमीनी हकीकत: वायनाड आपदा, बदलें पर्यावरण संरक्षण तरीका

केरल के वायनाड जिले में भयावह भूस्खलन की घटना से मची तबाही के लिए आखिर कौन और क्या चीजें जिम्मेदार है? इस घटना में कई लोगों को अपनी जान गंवानी पड़ी। यह प्रश्न महत्त्वपूर्ण है, भले ही इस आपदा को हुए कई सप्ताह बीत चुके हैं और अब हमारा ध्यान भी दूसरी विनाशकारी आपदाओं की तरफ है। जलवायु परिवर्तन इस तरह की आपदा में पूरी तरह भले ही नहीं लेकिन अहम भूमिका निभा रहा है जो पूरी तरह से प्राकृतिक आपदा भी नहीं है। पश्चिमी घाटों का यह क्षेत्र पहले से ही नाजुक स्थिति में था और मानव गतिविधियों के कारण यह आपदा के लिहाज से जोखिम की परिस्थितियों से जूझ रहा था। लेकिन दूसरा प्रश्न, जो स्पष्ट रूप से मुझे परेशान करता है वह यह है कि इन जोखिम क्षेत्रों में रहने वाले लोग संरक्षण के प्रयासों का विरोध क्यों करते हैं? जबकि उन्हें मालूम है कि वे उसी पेड़ की शाखा को काट रहे हैं जिस पर वे बैठे हैं! ऐसे में क्या किया जा सकता है? पहले वायनाड में विकास की गतिविधियों के बारे में समझते हैं। ‘डाउन टू अर्थ’ में मेरी सहयोगी, रोहिणी कृष्णमूर्ति और पुल्हा रॉय ने इसकी जांच की और पाया है कि वहां आपदा के पूरे आसार बन चुके थे। भूस्खलन मुंडक्कई के पास हुआ जो वेलेरिमला गांव का एक वार्ड है। मैं इस बात की ओर आपका ध्यान दिलाना चाहती हूं क्योंकि 2013 में के. कस्तूरीरंगन समिति की रिपोर्ट में इस गांव की पहचान पारिस्थितिकी रूप से जोखिम वाले क्षेत्र के रूप में की गई थी। मैं केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्रालय द्वारा गठित इस समिति की सदस्य थी जिसे पश्चिमी घाटों के लिए स्थायी और समान विकास के लिए चौतरफा और समग्र रणनीति पेश करनी थी। इसने सिफारिश की कि इस तरह के सभी गांव जहां 20 प्रतिशत से अधिक क्षेत्र पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र के लिहाज से संवेदनशील हैं, वहां विकास की गतिविधियों पर सख्त नियंत्रण होना चाहिए क्योंकि इससे ये क्षेत्र ज्यादा असुरक्षित होंगे। इसी वजह से इसने इस क्षेत्र में विशेषतौर पर खनन और पत्थर की खदानों सहित कई विध्वंसक गतिविधियों के विरोध में सिफारिश की। नवंबर 2013 में मंत्रालय ने यह रिपोर्ट स्वीकार की और पर्यावरण संरक्षण अधिनियम की धारा 5 के तहत एक निर्देश जारी किया, जिसमें एक बड़े क्षेत्र (60,000 वर्ग किमी) को पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र के लिहाज से संवेदनशील क्षेत्र घोषित किया गया और खदानों तथा पत्थर के खनन सहित कुछ गतिविधियों पर प्रतिबंध लगा दिया गया। हालांकि केरल ने अपनी समिति के निष्कर्षों का हवाला देते हुए संशोधन के लिए कहा है जिसमें यह तर्क दिया गया था कि पूरे गांव को पारिस्थितिकी के लिहाज से असुरक्षित चिह्नित नहीं किया जा सकता है क्योंकि यहां दूसरी गतिविधियां भी होती हैं जो रोकी नहीं जानी चाहिए। अब आप इसके आशय को समझें। पुल्हा ने वायनाड में खनन स्थलों की उपग्रह से जारी तस्वीरों को कस्तूरीरंगन रिपोर्ट द्वारा पारिस्थितिक रूप से संवेदनशील क्षेत्रों के रूप में पहचाने गए 13 गांवों के मानचित्र के साथ मिलाकर देखा। नूलपुझा गांव में छह खनन स्थल हैं, जो सभी ‘वन’ के रूप में चिह्नित क्षेत्र में हैं। आगे की जांच और भी भयावह है। रोहिणी ने अपने शोध में पाया कि 2017 में, केरल ने अपनी लघु खनिज रियायत नियमों में संशोधन किया और किसी आवासीय भवन, वन भूमि या पहाड़ी ढलान से 50 मीटर से अधिक की दूरी पर विस्फोटकों का उपयोग करने की अनुमति दी। इसका शाब्दिक अर्थ है किसी के घर के पिछले हिस्से में विस्फोट करने का अधिकार मिल जाना और पहाड़ियों को अस्थिर करने की स्थिति बनाना। अब ऐसे में हमें आश्चर्य क्यों होता है कि जब इस क्षेत्र में अत्यधिक बारिश होती है तब यहां बड़े पैमाने की तबाही की स्थितियां नहीं बनेंगी? इसमें कोई संदेह नहीं कि वायनाड भूस्खलन एक मानव निर्मित आपदा है। सवाल यह है कि हम क्या कर रहे हैं? इन क्षेत्रों के लोग माधव गाडगिल समिति और बाद में कस्तूरीरंगन समिति द्वारा निर्धारित संरक्षण की प्रक्रिया के खिलाफ हैं। मैंने जब इस क्षेत्र की यात्रा की तब मैंने भी ऐसा देखा था। लोग सड़कों पर उतर आए थे और उन नीतियों के खिलाफ नारेबाजी कर रहे थे जो संरक्षण को बढ़ावा देता। आप यह तर्क दे सकते हैं कि वे कुछ निहित हितों से प्रभावित हैं। लेकिन तथ्य यह है कि उनका मानना है कि अगर इस क्षेत्र को ‘पारिस्थितिकी के लिहाज से संवेदनशील’ घोषित कर दिया गया तब सरकार उनके बागान, पौधरोपण आदि की प्रक्रिया पर अपना नियंत्रण कर लेगी और खेती के तरीके पर भी प्रतिबंध लग सकते हैं। लोगों का संदेह इसलिए भी है कि हमने अब तक आधिकारिक आदेश और समितियों के माध्यम से संरक्षण किए हैं। साथ ही खनन जैसी कुछ गतिविधियों पर प्रतिबंध लगाने का मतलब यह है कि उनके लिए आजीविका का नुकसान होगा। हमें भविष्य की नीतियां बनाते वक्त भी इन बातों का ध्यान रखना होगा। हमें जलवायु जोखिम के चलते पर्यावरण प्रबंधन करने का तरीका बदलना होगा और अगर हम इसमें सफलता चाहते हैं तब हमें संरक्षण की प्रक्रिया में भी बदलाव लाना होगा। फिलहाल तो हमें यह भी सोचना होगा कि क्या नहीं किया जा सकता है और यह इस आधार पर है कि लोग जैविक दबाव में हैं और इसलिए पारिस्थितिकी के लिए हानिकारक गतिविधियों पर अवश्य प्रतिबंध लगाया जाना चाहिए। यह सही कदम हो सकता है लेकिन यह भी एक तथ्य है कि भारत में हमारे वन और अन्य पारिस्थितिकी रूप से संवेदनशील क्षेत्र में ही लोगों के आवास की जगहें मौजूद हैं और यह केवल जंगली क्षेत्र नहीं है। इन क्षेत्रों की रक्षा के लिए, हमें ऐसे संरक्षण की जरूरत है जो समावेशी हो और सभी समुदायों को अपने प्रयास के साथ इसमें भागीदारी करने के लिए प्रोत्साहन दे। यही कारण है कि कस्तूरीरंगन रिपोर्ट में भी पारिस्थितिकी रूप से संवेदनशील क्षेत्र के रूप में चिह्नित गांवों के लिए एक हरित-विकास पैकेज की सिफारिश की गई जिसके तहत पारिस्थितिकी सेवाओं के लिए भुगतान, पेड़ काटने पर रोक या विनाशकारी विकास पर प्रतिबंध लगाने की आवश्यकता बताई गई। इसमें लोगों को संरक्षण के लिए भुगतान करने की बात भी थी। ऐसे में यह महत्वपूर्ण है कि हम हरित आजीविका के साधनों जैसे कि कॉफी या चाय के स्थायी बागानों से लेकर इको-टूरिज्म के आधार पर बनी विकास रणनीतियों पर काम करें। हमें यह भी सीखना होगा कि लोगों की जमीन पर और उनकी भागीदारी के साथ संरक्षण कैसे किया जाए। जलवायु परिवर्तन के इस दौर में वायनाड के सबक स्पष्ट हैंः सीख लें और बदलाव लाएं या फिर नष्ट होने के लिए तैयार हों। (लेखिका सेंटर फॉर साइंस ऐंड एनवायरनमेंट से जुड़ी हैं)

• Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy

‘Extremely serious’: India tops global plastic waste emissions with 9.3 million tonnes, study shows

India is now the world’s biggest plastic polluter, responsible for nearly one-fifth of global plastic emissions, according to a new global study highlighting the growing environmental crisis in the world’s most populous country. Experts warn that the country’s lack of infrastructure for proper waste collection and management is a primary cause of the plastic crisis and, despite attempts at regulation, policies remain fragmented and difficult to enforce. The study, published in the scientific journal Nature on Wednesday by researchers from Britain’s University of Leeds, found that of the 50.2 million metric tonnes of plastic emitted into the environment annually, India accounted for about 9.3 million tonnes. The researchers behind the study, which provides a comprehensive analysis of global macroplastic pollution, suggest that India’s contribution to plastic emissions may still be an underestimated figure. “The numbers represent a significant portion of the material generated in India. The amount of municipal solid waste burned in India is equivalent to that of the next four biggest waste-burning nations – Indonesia, Nigeria, China and Russia,” Ed Cook, one of the researchers, told This Week in Asia. While earlier studies identified China as the world’s leading plastic polluter, coordinated efforts by Beijing have significantly reduced the country’s emissions in recent years. China accounted for 2.8 million tonnes of plastic waste emissions, according to the study. “China has invested heavily in municipal solid waste collection and treatment in the last 15 years, which has had a large effect on plastic pollution mitigation. However, it is worth remembering that, in terms of wealth, China is very close to becoming a high-income country, whereas India is still in the lower-income bracket. It would be challenging for India to follow the same path as China because it probably doesn’t have the resources to do so,” Cook said. “We do not make systematically assessed recommendations in our paper, but we do know that the main source of pollution in India is from lack of waste collection services – so if India is going to focus on something, that’s probably the best place to start.” India’s plastic conundrum India’s plastic-related policies are still in their infancy, analysts say, with enforcement agencies often lacking the authority to strictly impose regulations or penalise violators. With multiple levels of government – federal, state and local – introducing their frameworks, the implementation of pollution-related schemes is hampered by the need for large-scale coordination, which remains largely elusive. For example, the Indian government banned 19 categories of single-use plastics in 2022. However, enforcement has been inconsistent and remains far from effective. Penalties for using banned single-use plastics range from 200 Indian rupees (US$2.40) for local street vendors to 10,000 rupees for large shopkeepers, but are rarely imposed. Experts agree that the pervasive plastic crisis presents a monumental challenge for lawmakers. They argue that certain polluting sectors require greater scrutiny and that industry-specific policies could help address the issue. “The plastic pollution in India is extremely serious. Single-use plastics are the most avoidable and worst form of plastics. The most serious offenders are the Fast Moving Consumer Goods segment,” said Swathi Seshadri, director of research and team lead for Oil and Gas at the New Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Financial Accountability. Seshadri also highlighted plastic waste as a contributing factor to the severe flooding seen in recent years. “Small and big plastic single-use, throw-away sachets clog water bodies, rivers and natural water pathways, causing severe waterlogging and eventually the floods we see,” she said. Across India, both urban and rural areas are grappling with the environmental impacts of improper plastic disposal and the overuse of disposable materials. Recent industry reports suggest only a dismal portion of the plastic waste is recycled. “Waste needs to be segregated, collected, and disposed of appropriately. It’s concerning that even the country’s capital does not segregate waste properly. Instead, mixed waste ends up in dumpsites,” Seshadri said. Rajesh, a vegetable vendor in Bangalore, said he cannot afford paper bags that cost nearly triple that of plastic bags. “I know plastic bags are bad but I have no other option. This is the cheapest packing option available for me,” he said, urging consumers to bring in their bags. Independent analysts point to the massive expansion of oil refineries and petrochemical plants – responsible for producing plastics on an industrial scale for various sectors – as the main source of the plastic pollution crisis in India. “The plastic pollution problem in India is as bad as it can get since India is home to the world’s largest petrochemical plant,” said Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh, programme manager at the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment. Nearly all chemicals used in plastic production are derived from fossil fuels. India currently has 21 petrochemical plants across 13 states and plans for significant expansion in the coming years, according to the latest budget figures. “India has made some strides in the downstream of plastic, especially waste management, however, the infrastructure and technologies are far from what is needed for a country generating waste at the scale at which we are generating,” Singh said. “The production aspect is the weakest link in the plastic life cycle, since the larger environmental policies lack government intervention.” The plastic industry is “largely self-glorified”, according to Singh, as disclosures of emission or production figures are voluntary and there is no independent body to verify the data filed by the companies. Singh called for targeted policy initiatives, including the removal of subsidies for plastic manufacturers, baseline health surveys near new petrochemical plants, and epidemiological studies of populations living around heavily polluting plants, to urgently address the crisis.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Surat Claims Top Spot In India's Air Quality Rankings

Surat has emerged as the leading city in India for air quality improvements, followed by Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) and Agra (Uttar Pradesh).These three cities with population of more than one million, have topped the Swachh Vayu Survekshan (clean air survey) Awards for clean air, the government announced on Saturday. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma presented the awards to the best-performing cities where the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is being implemented. In the category for population between 300,000 and 1 million, Firozabad (Uttar Pradesh), Amravati (Maharashtra) and Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh) were recognised as the top three and for cities with fewer than 300,000 people, the toppers were Raebareli (Uttar Pradesh), Nalgonda (Telangana) and Nalagarh (Himachal Pradesh).Municipal commissioners of winning cities were awarded cash prizes, trophies and certificates. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) reported that 51 cities have shown a reduction in PM10 levels by more than 20 per cent compared to the base year 2017-18, with 21 of these cities achieving a reduction of over 40 per cent. According to the NCAP assessment document, sectors given weightage include biomass and municipal solid waste burning, road dust, dust from construction and demolition waste, vehicular emissions and industrial emissions, among others. Experts have previously noted that NCAP does not focus on combustion sources and may not be effectively curbing toxic emissions.A Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) assessment released in July found that road dust mitigation has been the primary focus of NCAP, which was launched in 2019 as the first effort to set clean air targets for 131 polluted cities and reduce particulate pollution nationally. The assessment revealed that 64 per cent of the total funds (Rs 10,566 crore) has been allocated to road paving, widening, pothole repair, water sprinkling and mechanical sweepers. Only 14.51 per cent of funding has been used for controlling biomass burning, 12.63 per cent for reducing vehicular pollution and a mere 0.61 per cent for controlling industrial pollution. "The primary focus of the funding is thus road dust mitigation," the assessment said.NCAP aims to reduce particulate pollution by up to 40 per cent by 2025-26 from the base year of 2019-20. It is India's first performance-linked funding programme to improve air quality.Originally, NCAP was planned to tackle both PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in the 131 non-attainment cities. In practice, only PM10 concentration has been considered for performance assessment. PM2.5, the more harmful fraction largely emitted from combustion sources, has been neglected, according to CSE findings.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Surat, Jabalpur, Agra get clean air awards

Surat, Jabalpur and Agra, cities with populations of over 1 million, have topped the Swachh Vayu Survekshan (clean air survey) Awards for clean air. Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav and Rajasthan chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma presented the awards to the best-performing cities where the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is being implemented. In the category for populations between 300,000 and 1 million, Firozabad, Amravati and Jhansi were recognised as the top three and for cities with fewer than 300,000 people, the toppers were Raebareli, Nalgonda and Nalagarh. Municipal commissioners of winning cities were awarded cash prizes, trophies and certificates. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) reported that 51 cities have shown a reduction in PM10 levels by more than 20% compared to the base year 2017-18, with 21 of these cities achieving a reduction of over 40%. According to the NCAP assessment document, sectors given weightage include biomass and municipal solid waste burning, road dust, dust from construction and demolition waste, vehicular emissions and industrial emissions, among others. Experts have previously noted that NCAP does not focus on combustion sources and may not be effectively curbing toxic emissions. A Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) assessment released in July found that road dust mitigation has been the primary focus of NCAP, which was launched in 2019 as the first effort to set clean air targets for 131 polluted cities and reduce particulate pollution nationally. The assessment revealed that 64% of the total funds ( ₹10,566 crore) has been allocated to road paving, widening, pothole repair, water sprinkling and mechanical sweepers. Only 14.51% of funding has been used for controlling biomass burning, 12.63% for reducing vehicular pollution and a mere 0.61% for controlling industrial pollution. “The primary focus of the funding is thus road dust mitigation,” the assessment stated.

• Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy

Agra generates 45 tonnes of footwear industry waste every day: CSE

The north Indian tourist city of Agra generates 45 tonnes of footwear industry waste every day, posing a huge environmental challenge, according to a new study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based think tank. Agra caters to 65 per cent of domestic footwear demand and churns out 0.9 to 1 million pairs of footwear every day. The city has 6,821 footwear manufacturing units—both formal and informal. The study report was recently released by CSE in Agra at a stakeholder conference organised in association with the city’s municipal corporation. Speaking at the event about the genesis of the research study, Atin Biswas, programme director of CSE’s Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy unit, said: “CSE has been working closely with the Agra Municipal Corporation to devise solutions for managing the historic city’s municipal waste. As part of this association, CSE undertook this year-long research to assess the ground reality of footwear waste management in Agra.” “Typically, footwear waste includes a very diverse range of waste items from leather, textile (polyester, viscose), synthetic polymers (polyvinyl chloride, ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), polyurethane (PU) and thermoplastic elastomers), hazardous wastes (foam soaked in adhesive solution), cardboard, metal and fines. Of the total quantum of footwear waste generated, over 31 tonnes per day is contributed by the formal manufacturing industries; more than 13 tonnes comes from the informal manufacturers who run their businesses from homes,” said Kuldeep Choudhary, programme officer and the lead author of the CSE report. The report says that the municipal corporation is able to collect about 57 per cent of the footwear waste generated by the home-based informal sector; the remaining 43 per cent is littered across the city in drains and open spaces or event burnt. The formal manufacturing units have reportedly tied up with formal and informal waste dealers and management professionals to manage their waste. The Agra Municipal Corporation will review the report, and initiate short-, medium- and long-term actions to more efficiently manage the pre-consumer footwear waste in the city, a CSE release said.

• Urban Lab

Delhi’s traffic hot spots suffer ozone pollution: DPCC report

Dangerous concentrations of ground-level ozone (O3) gas was recorded for 56 days in Nehru Nagar in April and May 2023, for 45 days at Patparganj and 38 days at Aurobindo Marg — all traffic hot spots — according to a report dated September 2 submitted by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to the National Green Tribunal on Thursday. The highest concentration, 224.9 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3), was recorded at Nehru Nagar, located near Lajpat Nagar. This was followed by a peak average of 188.3µg/m3 at Patparganj and 175.4µg/m3 at RK Puram, according to the report. All of these exceeded the national permissible standard of 100µg/m3 for an eight-hour period. To be sure, higher concentrations of ground-level ozone cause difficulty in breathing and both long-term and short-term respiratory damage. “CPCB data shows that the Nehru Nagar, Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range, Jawaharlal Stadium, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Nehru Nagar and RK Puram saw high ozone levels, which was more than the national ambient air quality standards of 100 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) for eight hours. The ozone levels were at peak during 11am to 6pm,” DPCC’s report said. DPCC said the highly volatile gas is produced from a complex interaction between nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon monoxide emitted from sources, such as vehicles, industries and factories. The gases undergo cyclic reactions in the presence of sunlight, producing ozone at the ground level, the pollution body said, stating both short-term and long-term measures were being taken to regulate these sources. An eight-hour analysis at 24 air quality monitoring stations in April and May 2023 found other stations exceeded permissible limits too — Mundka recorded 23 days, Alipur 29 days, Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range 32 days, Mandir Marg 25 days and RK Puram 20 days, the report said. The report comes in response to the directions of NGT to DPCC and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in April, seeking measures to reduce the impact of the gaseous pollutant, which is at its peak in summer. DPCC said action was being taken against vehicular pollution, industries, open burning and other localised combustion sources. To check on vehicular pollution, 385 transport department teams and Delhi Traffic Police teams were on the ground, with 14,294 old diesel and petrol vehicles impounded in 2023. This year, 308 such vehicles were seized, it said, adding 4.97 million PUC (pollution under control) certificates were issued in 2023 and 2.45 million so far this year. Other action includes challan on unauthorised parking and non-destined goods vehicles. Further, an action plan was put in place for 134 roads that regularly witness heavy congestion, with over 2,000 traffic personnel deployed there and to reduce emissions, an e-vehicle policy was also in place, accounting for over 14.5% of new vehicles registered in 2023, DPCC said. CAQM, in a separate submission, said it issued a comprehensive policy — with sector-wise action plans for prevention and control — to curb air pollution in the national capital region in July 2022. “The commission also issued 82 statutory directions, 15 advisories in addition to various orders/guidelines for the control of air pollution in national capital region,” CAQM said in its report dated August 30. In a study released last month, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) assessed India’s major metropolitan cities, finding Delhi-NCR the most impacted region in terms of high ground-level ozone. Between January and August, Delhi-NCR recorded 176 days of higher-than-permissible ground-level ozone.

• Water Programme

Out of 58 FSSM plants in UP, only 40 are functional: CSE

Lucknow: UP may have made strides in the development of infrastructure for faecal sludge and septage management (FSSM), but using this infrastructure remains a cause of concern both for the department of urban development and the centre for science and environment (CSE), an independent think tank committed to the cause of the earth. The observation was a key takeaway at a high-level meeting on sustainable sanitation and lake management held here on Thursday. Consider this: Over the past few years, UP has constructed 58 FSSM plants. Of these, 40 are functional while the remaining are at different levels of development. However, in an assessment of functional units undertaken by the CSE, it was found that 20 cities including Lucknow were not able to make the most of the opportunity they had. "The capacity utilisation in most of these cities ranged between a mere 0-5%," revealed the report which was released during the event. State's mission AMRUT has issued directives to the authorities to raise their bar. CSE director general and environmentalist Sunita Narain said: "UP has taken many measures towards managing its water and wastewater. For instance, the state has constructed 58 FSSM plants, around 40 of which are already operational. The state is also focusing on groundwater management and lake rejuvenation. The next step is to ensure that these initiatives are sustainable and used optimally, so that there is reuse of treated water and sludge." The workshop saw participants from various municipal corporations, urban local bodies, Jal Nigam, besides mission director AMRUT Ajay Kumar Shukla, his deputy PK Srivastava and additional state mission director Swachh Bharat Mission Ritu Suhas. CSE also released three new reports on UP on this occasion. The report titled ‘Septage Management in Uttar Pradesh-Scaling Up and Sustainability Lessons' highlighted the interventions and transformative changes in the state's FSSM landscape. The second report was ‘Infusing New Life: Gaps and Challenges in Managing Lakes and Ponds and Groundwater in Four Selected AMRUT Cities of Uttar Pradesh'. The study looked into the challenges of lake management in urban areas. In the third report titled ‘Monitoring and Evaluation of FSTPs and STP Co-treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh', CSE conducted a study to evaluate the efficiency of 13 treatment plants in UP which treat faecal sludge and septage.

• Water Programme

Septage management plants in 20 U.P. cities ‘underperforming’

Uttar Pradesh’s ambitious water security initiatives under the AMRUT mission are coming under scrutiny for their sustainability and effective use. An assessment has revealed that septage management plants in 20 cities, including Lucknow, are operating at only 0-5% of their capacity, officials noted in a communique issued to press. The state is investing in infrastructure development, septage management facilities, and lake rejuvenation projects to secure urban water supplies across its 762 cities. A recent workshop, ‘Towards Sustainable Sanitation and Lake Management in Uttar Pradesh’, organised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and the Department of Urban Development (DoUD), highlighted these concerns on Thursday. The event brought together senior officials, including those from Lucknow Municipal Corporation, Nagar Palika and Jal Nigam, to discuss the progress and challenges in water management. CSE director general Sunita Narain said Uttar Pradesh has constructed 58 faecal sludge and septage management (FSSM) plants, with 40 already operational. Despite these advancements, Narain emphasised the need to ensure these facilities are both sustainable and optimally utilised. “The focus must shift towards reusing treated water and sludge to achieve the desired impact,” she said. During the workshop, CSE unveiled three critical reports on the state’s water management efforts. These reports shed light on the challenges faced by the FSSM plants and other infrastructure projects. Ajay Kumar Shukla, the state mission director of AMRUT, and Ritu Suhas, additional mission director of SBM, stressed the importance of addressing these issues. Shukla called for a broader approach beyond just beautifying water bodies, while Suhas urged the expansion of successful FSSM projects to other cities. Narain concluded by emphasising the need for improved operational and financial sustainability of treatment plants, as well as better management of lakes and wastewater reuse. The workshop underscored the ongoing challenges and the need for continued efforts to secure Uttar Pradesh’s water future.

• Director General Office

Lessons from Wayanad tragedy

Who and what is responsible for the heart-breaking landslides that hit Wayanad district and took so many lives? This is what I had asked in my last column. The question is important even as weeks have passed and our attention has shifted to other devastating disasters. I had explained how climate change played a role in the disaster but not entirely. This already vulnerable region of the Western Ghats had been made more prone to disasters because of human activities. But then the other question, which frankly haunts me, is: Why do people who live in these fragile regions end up opposing conservation efforts? They know that they are cutting that proverbial tree branch that they are sitting on! So, what can be done?

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Cold Truths: Why Action Plan Must Strike At Root Of Pollution Sources

New Delhi: Every winter, a thick haze engulfs the capital, forcing Delhiites to breathe in highly polluted air. As Delhi govt prepares to release its winter action plan to deal with toxic air, experts emphasised reducing emissions at the source level and not relying on emergency measures to counter pollution. In Sept 2023, a 15-point winter action plan was released to fight winter pollution. This year, environment minister Gopal Rai said a 21-point winter action plan will be released soon. But among the possible plan points, experts pointed out that some measures like setting up an e-waste eco park, whose construction is yet to start, and spraying of a bio-decomposer to prevent harvest stubble burning, were already found ineffective in controlling pollution last year. Experts also said the odd-even road use scheme, artificial rain and implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan which govt was considering for this year's action plan were emergency measures that would give temporary respite. A Centre for Science and Environment study established that Delhi has seen a gradual and consistent decline in its annual PM2.5 levels from 2015-17 onwards, but this trend was interrupted in 2023 as average was higher than in 2022. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE, said, "The combat strategy for winter is essentially a set of temporary enforcement measures whose scope and effectiveness remain limited. Experience has shown that only sustained systemic and infrastructure changes can make a difference in controlling pollution. For example, waste burning can be controlled only by ensuring 100% collection, segregation, material recovery and remediation of garbage." Roychowdhury said vehicular pollution, the top polluter in the city, requires year-round action aimed at reducing the number of vehicles on the road. "An ineffective pollution certification programme cannot help. Moreover, temporary measures like odd-even road rationing can reduce vehicle numbers temporarily only if implemented effectively. But this will require a massive effort to scale up public transport services, road pricing and parking restraints to cut down on vehicular trips. Such measures need to be built throughout the year," she said. "Winter action can at best help improve a limited number of enforceable measures and enable some hotspot action. The focus should be on cutting down emissions permanently at their source," added Roychowdhury. Sunil Dahiya, South Asia analyst, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, said anti-smog guns were effective only at construction sites and areas with high dust resuspension. "The shifting of industries to PNG is a good step but reducing overall emissions means stricter monitoring of alternate fuel usage, output quantum and emission load. Besides, the real-time source apportionment study can be helpful when stricter actions are taken based on results of this study to control emissions in the upwind direction," said Dahiya. He also said the loophole with the odd-even scheme was that if implemented every year, people would keep two cars with different number plates. "For odd-even, a real-time assessment should be done on how much this measure reduces petrol and diesel consumption," said Dahiya. "Simultaneously, public transportation should be strengthened for systematic change. Data on inspection and action taken daily should be in the public domain for accountability." There was a need to review how much pollution load these actions plans reduced, said Dipankar Saha, former head of Central Pollution Control Board's air laboratory. "The effectiveness of anti-smog guns and the duration for effective spraying in an area have not been studied. Sprinkling of water is a wastage of resources and it damages the road too," noted Saha. He added that there is a need for comprehensive control of emissions at source. Delhi govt did not respond to queries on the subject.