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Cse In News

Dehli: 30 सितंबर तक पार्किंग शुल्क की समीक्षा करें

दिल्ली में सार्वजनिक परिवहन के उपयोग को प्रोत्साहित करने और वायु प्रदूषण को कम करने के लिए, एनसीआर और आस-पास के क्षेत्र में वायु गुणवत्ता प्रबंधन आयोग (सीएक्यूएम) ने शहर के शहरी निकायों को सितंबर के अंत तक निजी वाहनों के पार्किंग शुल्क की “समीक्षा” करने और उसे “तर्कसंगत” बनाने का निर्देश दिया है। सीएक्यूएम के अनुसार, इस कदम से शहर में एक समान पार्किंग शुल्क संरचना आएगी, जिसमें दिन के समय और क्षेत्र में व्याप्त भीड़भाड़ के आधार पर वृद्धि होगी। हालांकि, विशेषज्ञों और हितधारकों ने कहा है कि इस कदम से शहर में पार्किंग दरों में उल्लेखनीय वृद्धि होने की संभावना है, खासकर भीड़भाड़ वाले घंटों और बाजारों और कार्यालय स्थलों जैसे उच्च घनत्व वाले क्षेत्रों में अक्टूबर से। सीएक्यूएम ने गुरुवार को साझा किए गए अपने 20 अगस्त के आदेश में कहा, "आयोग, सीएक्यूएम अधिनियम The CAQM Act,, 2021 की धारा 12 के तहत, दिल्ली में शहरी स्थानीय निकायों को अपने-अपने अधिकार क्षेत्र में निजी वाहनों के लिए पार्किंग शुल्क की व्यापक समीक्षा और युक्तिसंगत बनाने और स्थानीय क्षेत्र-विशिष्ट एकीकृत पार्किंग प्रबंधन योजनाओं और संबंधित मूल्य निर्धारण रणनीतियों की समीक्षा के आधार पर 30 सितंबर तक यह अभ्यास पूरा करने का निर्देश देता है।" इसमें कहा गया है कि पार्किंग शुल्क में इस संशोधन को दिल्ली में 30 सितंबर तक लागू किया जाना चाहिए और जनता के बीच व्यापक रूप से प्रसारित किया जाना चाहिए। यह दूसरी बार है जब सीएक्यूएम ने इसी तरह के निर्देश जारी किए हैं। अप्रैल में, इसने 30 अगस्त तक पार्किंग शुल्क को युक्तिसंगत बनाने को कहा था। यह निर्देश, जिससे सड़कों पर निजी वाहनों के उपयोग को हतोत्साहित करने की उम्मीद है, वाहनों के उत्सर्जन को कम करके शहर की हवा को स्वच्छ बनाने के प्रयासों का एक हिस्सा है। सीएक्यूएम ने अपने आदेश में कहा, "दिल्ली-एनसीआर में निजी वाहनों की लगातार बढ़ती संख्या वाहनों से होने वाले उत्सर्जन में मुख्य योगदानकर्ता रही है और निजी वाहनों की इतनी बड़ी संख्या यातायात जाम का कारण भी बनती है।" दिल्ली, जिसे दुनिया की सबसे प्रदूषित राजधानी होने का कुख्यात गौरव प्राप्त है, हर साल सर्दियों की शुरुआत में विशेष रूप से जहरीली धुंध में डूब जाती है। आदेश में आगे कहा गया है कि दिल्ली मेट्रो या इलेक्ट्रिक बसों जैसे स्वच्छ सार्वजनिक परिवहन विकल्प वायु प्रदूषण को कम करने में मदद करेंगे और स्वच्छ सार्वजनिक परिवहन को प्रोत्साहित करने और निजी वाहनों के लिए शुल्क बढ़ाने के लिए समय-समय पर कई बैठकें आयोजित की गई हैं। सीएक्यूएम ने कहा कि पार्किंग शुल्क तय करने की आखिरी कवायद कई साल पहले की गई थी। आयोग ने कहा, "इसी समय, पिछली बैठकों में निर्देश जारी करने के बावजूद, जिनमें से सबसे हालिया 24 अप्रैल को हुई थी, अभी तक ऐसा कोई अभ्यास नहीं किया गया था, सिवाय ग्रेडेड रिस्पांस एक्शन प्लान (जीआरएपी) के चरण-2 के दौरान और पिछले साल एनडीएमसी (नई दिल्ली नगर निगम) के अधिकार क्षेत्र में कुछ समय के लिए।" एमसीडी के एक अधिकारी ने कहा कि इस संबंध में एक प्रस्ताव पहले ही तैयार किया जा चुका है, हालांकि, इसे पार्षदों के सदन में मंजूरी मिलनी बाकी है। "यह सदन में निगम के विचार और अनुमोदन के लिए लंबित है।" सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) में अनुसंधान और वकालत की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने कहा कि पार्किंग मूल्य निर्धारण मानदंडों को पार्किंग प्रबंधन क्षेत्र योजनाओं के साथ लागू करने की आवश्यकता है, जिन्हें पहले सीएक्यूएम द्वारा निर्देशित किया गया था। "

Emissions of Delhi-NCR vehicles higher than approved limits in lab settings: Study

Real world emissions even from vehicles, across fuel types, complying with the latest emission standard of Bharat Stage VI (BS VI) are higher than type approval limits, contributing to high pollution levels in Delhi NCR, a new report by The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has found. This is particularly the case for high-use commercial vehicles; for instance, BS VI taxi and light good vehicle fleets were shown to emit 2.4 and 5.0 times more nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions than the counterpart private car fleet. The results based on a remote sensing based emissions monitoring study also challenge the notion that vehicles fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG) are a “clean” transportation alternative. Across the range of BS VI vehicles measured fueled by CNG, emissions were 1.5–14 times greater than the type-approval limits, the study conducted in collaboration with Delhi Transport Department (DTC) and Gurugram deputy commissioner’s (GDC) office found. For three-wheelers, private cars, taxis, light goods vehicles (LGVs), and buses, nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions were found to be 3.2 times, 2 times, 4 times, 4.9 times, 14.2 times, and 1.5 times higher, respectively, than type-approval limits. These findings suggest that the combined benefits of stricter emission standards and an accelerated shift to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), at least in the commercial vehicle category, ICCT has recommended. Agencies like the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR could implement policies such as a ZEV sales mandate and a combustion engine phaseout program targeted at highly polluting vehicle segments. California for example has zero emission vehicle mandate on the supply side that vehicle manufacturers need to comply with. Paris and London are implementing low emission zones within the city to push for switching to ZEVs. As part of the study, exhaust emissions of NOx, carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), and ultraviolet (UV) smoke, a proxy for particulate matter, were measured from several vehicle types: two- and three-wheelers, private cars, taxis, light goods vehicles (LGV), and buses. The campaign captured over 100,000 valid measurements across 20 sites in Delhi and Gurugram and uncovered important patterns that can guide the development of targeted and effective policies to combat traffic-related pollution. “We are seeing that NOx emissions need to be monitored very effectively from the transport sector because NOx contributes to secondary particulate matter (PM) and in turn high pollution levels in Delhi NCR,” said Amit Bhatt, India managing director ICCT in a press conference on Friday. “The real world emissions of BS VI vehicles are found to be higher compared to the lab value mainly because of loading, road conditions, maintenance etc. It doesn’t reflect the emissions as measured in static conditions,” Bhatt explained. ICCT measured emissions from all fuel categories-- petrol (45%); CNG (32%) and diesel (23%). “Diesel vehicles are performing poorly on PM and NOx but unfortunately CNG vehicles are also emitting equally high amounts of NOx on road,” said another expert from ICCT. “It is evident that real-world emissions from transport vehicles differ significantly from their laboratory values. For the first time in India, we have collected significant emissions data from motor vehicles on the road and it is crucial to remember that what impacts our air quality is not the laboratory emissions, but the pollutants released by these vehicles when they are in operation. Therefore, it’s time to reimagine our emissions testing regime and aggressively push for the adoption of zero-emission vehicles,” Bhatt added in a statement. “This important research clearly shows India and the rest of the world that compressed natural gas is not the clean alternative fuel which was promised. While Delhi battles with dirty air, a visible killer hanging over the city, the study has shown that this less visible but still deadly fuel is not the answer. For health and for the climate, the solutions to dirty air are to switch to walking, cycling, and shared electric mobility,” said Sheila Watson, Foundation for the Automobile and Society deputy director in a statement. It is however important to note that vehicles produced to the newest emissions standard – BS VI – show significant improvements in tailpipe emissions across all pollutants and vehicle types measures. For example, real-world NOx emissions from private cars showed a reduction of 81% and buses nearly 95% as compared to BS IV, ICCT said. In 1998, the Supreme Court ordered that all public transport vehicles in Delhi that ran on diesel switch to compressed natural gas (CNG) by 2001. This included buses, three-wheelers, and taxis. “While CNG has played a significant role in curbing toxic and carcinogenic particulate emissions from diesel vehicles in Delhi, the new assessment of the real world emissions shows that NOx emissions from on-road CNG fleet can be high. While CNG has been a transitional fuel, the solution cannot be substituting one transitional fuel with another to get cleaner emissions. But to move towards zero tailpipe emissions or electric vehicles,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

Delhi govt plans a green push to counter climate crisis

The Delhi government has drawn up a series of proposals to mitigate and tackle the climate crisis in the Capital as part of the new draft state action plan on climate change (SAPCC), environment minister Gopal Rai said on Wednesday. The suggestions in the document include installing solar panels on rooftops to generate 750 MW in solar power, ensuring all streetlights are LED-based by 2030, and installing low-cost sensors that can issue flood warnings. The proposals were prepared following a high-level committee meeting with 40 different government departments, agencies and expert institutions, Rai said. The climate crisis plan, which is still in the draft stage, focuses on seven key sectors and has been in works for over two years now, Rai said. He said that it will be submitted to the Centre over the next fortnight, after incorporating fresh suggestions from experts, and said that the state plans to implement it as soon as the Centre approves it. Delhi already has an SAPCC, which came into force in 2019 — after a delay of eight years, and formulated using data till 2011. “Due to the rapid environmental degradation we have seen over the last few years, a decision was taken to revise the 2019 plan. A committee was formed for this two years ago, comprising experts who have been shaping this draft plan. The same committee is being overseen by the chief secretary too,” Rai said. The minister said that the need to tackle climate crisis is a matter of priority, and noted that extreme weather events are becoming the new norm. “We are seeing more extreme weather events, which are directly impacting people’s lives. This includes extreme heatwaves and this year, the monsoon broke several records too,” Rai said. He said the government has identified seven key sectors which will require both mitigation and adaptation measures — the energy sector, urban planning, water management, forest and green cover, transport sector, agriculture, and the health sector. The new plan has been prepared in collaboration with the German Technical Cooperation Group (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit or GIZ) and institutes such as IIT Delhi and GGSIPU. Further, an assessment, part of the draft plan, found the northeast, east and south Delhi districts to be the most vulnerable to climate crisis, Rai said. Delhi was hard hit by extreme weather conditions this year — the first five months were the city’s driest since 2018, and the Capital recorded intense heatwaves in May and June. However, Delhi also logged extreme rain in June, July and August. In fact, when the monsoon hit Delhi in late June, the Capital received 228.1mm of rainfall on June 28 — the highest for a single day in the city since 1936. A senior environment department official said the 2019 SAPCC was considered while making the new plan. “Several aspects of the new SAPCC use the 2019 plan as a base. We have added to that, using findings of the last decade. The 2019 plan is still in force,” the official said, on condition of anonymity. Among other measures, the draft plan calls for include shifting power infrastructure underground, 100% waste segregation by the end of the year, increasing Delhi’s waste-to-energy capacity, increasing the number of climate-resilient buildings, eco-restoring and increasing Delhi’s Ridge and forest areas, and discouraging the use of private vehicles by improving public transport systems. “Suggestions made in this latest meeting will be added to the draft plan, which we plan to submit within a fortnight. The Centre may make further suggestions and once finalised by them, we can implement it,” Rai said. Experts said the plan appears to cover all aspects on paper, but will require extensive planning in terms of mobilising resources and funds. “Delhi already has a number of clean air plans and an existing climate action plan too. The new plan, once ready, will require detailed planning,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). “What we also need is to converge our existing plans, as measures like shifting to electric vehicles, improving public transport, improving waste management or cleaning the Yamuna are not new. All we need now is a scalable strategy and a clear idea of implementation. We also need a strong monitoring and evaluation network,” she said.

Wealthy Nations Aim To Shift Climate Finance Burden

Wealthy nations are pushing for the inclusion of more countries, like China and Saudi Arabia, to contribute to climate finance, aiming to address the financial gap often left by developed countries. This proposal is controversial and has led to pushback from developing nations who argue it undermines their needs and historical contexts. The next major climate discussions are set for November 2024, where countries will finalize the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The aim is to mobilize funds for developing countries to combat climate change, which could involve shifting some responsibility onto nations categorized as high emitters. Negotiators from developing countries caution against such moves, viewing them as attempts by wealthier nations to sidestep their historical obligations to finance climate initiatives. According to delegates, this approach could significantly stall negotiations and disrupt the existing framework established under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. Historically, developed nations, characterized as Annex II countries, are responsible for providing financial support to less-developed countries grappling with climate impacts. These nations, including the US, EU member states, and others, have heavily contributed to greenhouse gas emissions throughout industrialization. Recent proposals from the EU and Switzerland suggest countries with high per capita incomes and substantial emissions should also contribute. Specifically, Switzerland's proposal suggests involving nations where the gross national income exceeds $40,000 and emissions per capita surpass 250 tonnes of CO2 equivalents. Harjeet Singh, Global Engagement Director for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, argues such proposals risk unduly shifting the burden of climate finance. "Developing nations are often struggling with poverty and inadequate infrastructure, and expecting them to fund climate action contradicts the principles of equity and responsibility,” he remarked. Many developing nations are concerned about how proposals could set new precedents for funding responsibilities, potentially making it harder for them to finance their own climate resiliency initiatives. The fear is exacerbated by the historical reluctance of developed countries to fully deliver on previous commitments. Very few developed nations have achieved the promised levels of financing under previous climate agreements, leading to skepticism among developing countries. They argue instead for the need for richer countries to fulfill their existing financial commitments rather than attempting to reallocate the responsibilities. According to Diego Pacheco, spokesman for Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDC), the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities should guide the negotiations. "Expecting the Global South to shoulder new financial burdens is neither just nor equitable, and distracts from developing countries’ existing climate challenges,” he emphasized. A report from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) highlighted the disproportionate impacts these policies could have on developing economies. It noted how past emissions and the wealth gained through fossil fuel usage historically vests responsibility primarily on developed countries. The study also proposes countermeasures by urging developing nations to impose their own carbon taxes on exports heading to Europe. Such measures could funnel resources back to domestic environmental goals, thereby controlling national mitigation strategies. Critics of CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) contend it unfairly penalizes developing economies and undermines their potential for equitable development. Without access to adequate financing and technology, many are at risk of being left behind as the world transitions to greener energy sources. Understanding the balance needed for this transition is key, especially as COP29 approaches. Discussions must focus on ensuring climate funds are genuinely directed to developing countries, rather than getting entangled in arguments about contributor definitions. For many, the priority should lie with creating systems to effectively distribute resources to those most vulnerable to climate impacts. Meanwhile, developed nations must shoulder the responsibility of their historical emissions without seeking to transfer their obligations to nations recently classified as high emitters.

दिल्ली से आए अधिकारी ने किया को-ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट का निरीक्षण

नई दिल्ली स्थित सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) के कार्यक्रम अधिकारी हर्ष यादव बुधवार को सहारनपुर पहुंचे। उन्होंने मल्हीपुर रोड स्थित 38 एमएलडी सीवेज ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट (एसटीपी) के ही साथ बने 25 केएलडी के को-ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट का निरीक्षण किया। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट वर्ष 2018 से उत्तर प्रदेश में संधारणीय मल कीचड़ एवं सेप्टेज प्रबंधन (एफएसएसएम) के लिए तकनीकी सहायता प्रदान कर रहा है। सहारनपुर भी उन शहरों में शामिल है जहां अमृत कार्यक्रम चलाया जा रहा है। यहां में वर्ष 2022 से यमुना एक्शन प्लांट परिसर में 25 केएलडी का को-ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट चालू है। इस दौरान उनके साथ नगर स्वास्थ्य अधिकारी रमेशचंद गुप्ता भी रहे। निरीक्षण के बाद हर्ष यादव ने नगरायुक्त संजय चौहान से मुलाकात की।

A critique of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) – implications for Global South

Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is the European Union’s proposed tax on energy-intensive products such as iron, steel, cement, fertilizers and aluminium, imported from countries like India and China. A report by an Independent Think Tank, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Wednesday, 17th of July, 2024 reportedly claimed that CBAM will impose an additional 25 % tax on carbon-intensive goods exported from India to the European Union. This tax burden would represent 0.05 % of India’s GDP according to the report, titled The Global South’s response to a changing trade regime in the era of climate change by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The report has recommended a counter-tax on rich countries historically responsible for the climate change. These findings are reportedly based on the data from the past 3 years, 2021-22 to 2023-24. The tax is to be based on the carbon emissions generated during the production of these goods. The developing countries are worried that this would harm their economies and make it too expensive for them to trade with the European bloc. The move has also sparked debate at the Multilateral forums including the UN Climate Conferences with the developing countries arguing that under UN climate change rules, countries cannot dictate how others should reduce emissions. Genesis of the problem Historical trends indicate that carbon-intensive production has shifted from developed to developing countries & that today’s differences in emissions intensity are tied to historical emissions, as the Global North utilised fossil fuels like coal during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution which enabled it to amass wealth and grow its economies. The imposition of CBAM overlooks this historical fact and unfairly penalises the Global South, according to critics. Counter measure recommended by CSE The report has recommended a counter-tax on rich countries historically responsible for climate change. It says, this tax could be levied on trade partners responsible for a significant share of cumulative historical carbon dioxide emissions since the pre-industrial period. CSE’s Recommendation on Domestic measures which can be adopted CSE report has recommended collecting a carbon tax domestically. It says, countries like India could institute their own carbon tax on exports of CBAM products destined for the European Union or any country imposing a carbon border tax. Revenues generated from a domestic carbon tax then could be directed into a government-managed fund to support the decarbonisation efforts of the Indian industries. By collecting a carbon tax domestically, India thus can have greater control over its mitigation strategies and achieve decarbonisation more effectively according to the recommendation. Criticism of CBAM A Comprehensive Assessment Report on CBAM released by CSE states that: It raises costs and hurts the Trade Competitiveness of the Global South & violates CBDR, CBDR standing for Common but Differentiated Responsibilities. The CBDR Principle recognises that the growth in the Developed countries has been achieved at the cost of higher levels of CO2 emissions. Tools like Carbon Border Taxes imposed by rich countries will further take away the ability of the developing countries to finance decarbonisation. CBAM is aimed at cushioning the European Union’s firms from competitors who can manufacture more cheaply in countries that do not subject them to a carbon price. The need for an overhaul of the Global trade rules for a climate-risked world has been widely recognised. However, it has been pointed out that, it should not be at the cost of climate justice. Policies such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) place the burden of decarbonising heavy industrial sectors on the Global South, and act as a roadblock in their path of development, said experts speaking at a Webinar organised by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the New Delhi-based Think Tank. Epilogue The CSE report states, developed countries historically relied on fossil fuels for their economic growth. However, today, despite having the capacity to significantly reduce domestic emissions and possessing technologies for low-carbon manufacturing, they continue emitting. Not only this, they have also outsourced high-emission production from developing countries. Developing nations are therefore unjustly penalised by a CBAM which fails to account for the historical factors shaping their current reality. According to the report, CBAM also disregards the prior failure of wealthy countries to make good on their promises to ensure that green technologies are more accessible to developing countries, whether through extending knowledge or providing financing. The developing countries are also expected to bear the cost of their decarbonisation to avoid the CBAM, even when the Paris Agreement emphasises the need for the developed world to extend financial and technological support to the developing world, aiding them in their mitigation efforts. Thus, CBAM is a clear violation of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) enshrined in the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC, says the report. India aims to become a net-zero emitter by the year 2070 under its Long-Term Low-Carbon Development Strategy and has announced its own domestic carbon credit trading system. In addition, following the recommendation of the CSE report, India can start collecting a carbon tax domestically to avoid being taxed in Europe. Revenues generated from a domestic carbon tax then could be directed into a government-managed fund to support the decarbonisation efforts of the Indian industries.

Developed countries push to expand contributor base for new climate finance goal

As the deadline to agree on a new climate finance goal nears, developed nations are pushing to expand the list of countries responsible for contributing funds to help developing countries address climate change, with Switzerland even proposing criteria to broaden the donor base. Submissions made by some developed countries to the UNFCCC regarding negotiations on the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) — the new climate finance goal to be finalised in Baku, Azerbaijan in November — suggest that wealthy nations might pressure countries with high emissions and high gross national income (GNI) per capita, such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, and China, to contribute. Negotiators from developing countries say a discussion on broadening the climate finance contributor base goes far beyond the mandate for NCQG and could stall negotiations at COP29. According to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), high-income industrialised nations (referred to as Annex II countries) are responsible for providing finance and technology to help developing countries combat and adapt to climate change. These countries include the US, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and European Union (EU) member states such as Germany, France and the UK. Some developed countries, led by the EU and the US, argue that the global economic landscape has changed significantly since 1992. They suggest that nations which have become wealthier during this period, like China and some Gulf states, should also contribute to the new climate finance goal. Developing countries view this as an attempt to shift responsibility from those who have historically benefited from industrialisation and contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions. They argue that expecting them to contribute, especially when many are still struggling with poverty and inadequate infrastructure, undermines the principle of equity. In a submission to the UNFCCC last week, the European Commission said the “collective goal can only be reached if parties with high GHG emissions and economic capabilities join the effort.” The US said that while current contributors will continue to support developing countries, other nations with the “capacity to support others in pursuing mitigation and adaptation must also be accountable for delivering on the NCQG’s support layer.” “Their contributions will also enable a larger quantum for the support layer of the NCQG,” the US said, adding that contributing parties could be identified in various ways — through a “definitional approach, a criteria-based approach, a de facto approach, or otherwise.” Switzerland proposed that in addition to developed countries, parties that are among the “10 largest current emitters and have a purchasing power parity-adjusted gross national income per capita of more than USD 22,000” should also contribute to the new climate finance goal. This proposal puts the spotlight on countries such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, and China. According to the Swiss proposal, countries with cumulative past and current emissions per capita of at least 250 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent and a purchasing power parity-adjusted gross national income per capita of more than USD 40,000 should also contribute. Diego Pacheco, spokesperson for Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDC) and lead negotiator for Bolivia, told PTI that developing countries were opposed to the idea of reopening and widening the contributors’ base beyond the established framework of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. “This goes far beyond the mandates for discussing the NCQG. Developed countries should fulfil their financial commitments,” he said. Pacheco said the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities should be central to the negotiations for formulating a meaningful NCQG. Harjeet Singh, a climate activist and Global Engagement Director for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, said the attempt to shift responsibility risks stalling critical negotiations at COP29, leaving vulnerable communities to bear the brunt of catastrophic climate impacts. He said that increasing pressure to expand the contributor base for climate finance undermines the core principles of the UN climate convention and the Paris Agreement, which clearly place the primary responsibility on historically industrialised nations. “While the new proposals acknowledge the cumulative emissions and per capita income of countries, they conveniently overlook the decades of inaction by wealthy nations that have drastically increased the need for climate finance,” Singh said. Sehr Raheja, a programme officer at the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment, said that discussions on who should contribute and which countries should be considered developed will require a lot of time, as these questions are “very complicated and technical,” while countries will reach the deadline for the NCQG in November. Raheja said if developed countries push to discuss this now, it might derail the NCQG negotiations and prevent them from reaching a fair and timely agreement. She stressed that it is more important to prioritise the establishment of a mechanism to ensure that funds actually reach developing countries, given the track record on commitments by wealthier nations so far, rather than getting stuck on who should contribute.

निजी आपरेटरों को और अधिक प्रोत्साहित करने की आवश्यकता-हर्ष यादव

सहारनपुर-नई दिल्ली स्थित सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) के कार्यक्रम अधिकारी हर्ष यादव ने आज मल्हीपुर रोड स्थित 25 केएलडी के को-ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट का निरीक्षण कर संधारणीय मल कीचड़ एवं सेप्टेज प्रबंधन (एफएसएसएम) की जानकारी ली और नगरायुक्त संजय चौहान से भेंट कर उसके निष्कर्षो से अवगत कराया। हर्ष यादव ने निरीक्षण के दौरान नगर स्वास्थ्य अधिकारी डॉ. आर सी गुप्ता से शहर में एफएसएसएम की प्रगति पर चर्चा की। उनके निरीक्षण में सहारनपुर में 38 एमएलडी सीवेज ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट (एसटीपी) स्थित को-ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट का निरीक्षण भी शामिल था। उल्लेखनीय है कि सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) वर्ष 2018 से उत्तर प्रदेश सरकार के शहरी विकास विभाग (डीओयूडी) को अमृत कार्यक्रम के तहत राज्य भर में संधारणीय मल कीचड़ एवं सेप्टेज प्रबंधन (एफएसएसएम) के लिए तकनीकी सहायता प्रदान कर रहा है। सहारनपुर भी उन शहरों में शामिल है जहां अमृत कार्यक्रम चलाया जा रहा है। सहारनपुर में वर्ष 2022 से यमुना एक्शन प्लांट परिसर में 25 केएलडी का को-ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट चालू है। नगर स्वास्थय अधिकारी डॉ. आर सी गुप्ता ने सीएसई के कार्यक्रम अधिकारी हर्ष यादव को बताया कि सहारनपुर में एफएसएसएम उपचार इकाई पूरी क्षमता से काम कर रही है, जो सीएसई के तकनीकी सहयोग से सहारनपुर नगर निगम द्वारा विकसित एक स्थायी डिस्लजिंग योजना का परिणाम है। बाद में हर्ष यादव ने नगरायुक्त संजय चौहान से भेंट कर उन्हंें निरीक्षण के निष्कर्षो से अवगत कराया और संधारणीय मल कीचड़ एवं सेप्टेज प्रबंधन (एफएसएसएम) की इस प्रगति को बनाये रखने के लिए सुझाव दिए। उन्होंने कहा कि निगम को निजी ऑपरेटरों को मल-कीचड़ को-ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट तक पहुंचाने के लिए और अधिक प्रोत्साहित करने की आवश्यकता है।

क्या भारत में पर्यावरणीय खतरों को नजरअंदाज किया जा रहा है?

हा ल के समय में केरल में वा यना ड के भूखलन की ही तरह भा रत के अलग-अलग सों में पर्या वरणी य आपदा की कई बड़ी घटना एं ई हैं। ऐसे में यह सवा ल उठ रहा है या भा रत को जलवा यु प वर्तन को और गंभी रता से नहीं लेना चा ए? केरल के वा यना ड ले में 30 जुला ई को ई भूखलन की ना शका री घटना में जी त बचे प्रस कुमा र ने अपनी बहन और उसके प वा र को पा नी के तेज बहा व में बहते ए देखा । कई अय लो ग जो सो रहे थे, वे भी पा नी के तेज बहा व में बह गए। रा हत र में रह रहे कुमा र ने डी डयू को बता या , "मैंने इस त्र में कई भूखलन देखे हैं, ले न यह का फी ना शका री था । एक पल में ही धरती लने लगी और मेरे पैरों तले की जमी न सक गई। इसके बा द चा रों ओर मौ त और तबा ही का भया वह मंजर था ।” संवेदनशील पा की तंत्र कुमा र के तेदा र स त करी ब 200 लो ग अब भी ला पता हैं। इनकी खो ज के ए लंबे समय तक बचा व अ या न चला या गया , ले न अब यह अ या न भी बंद हो रहा है। इस प्रा कृ क आपदा ने 300 से अ क लो गों की जा न ले ली । का फी या दा संप और बु या दी ढां चे को नुकसान पचा । इस आपदा ने यह भी सो चने पर मजबूर या है या भा रत को भ य में पर्या वरणी य आपदा से बचने के ए और कदम उठा ने चा ए। नई ली में सेंटर फॉ र सा इंस एंडएं एनवा यरनमेंट की देशक सुनी ता ना रा यण ने कहा मा लयी त्र में आने वा ली प्रा कृ क आपदा एं इस बा त का उदा हरण हैं वनों की कटा ई और ना सो चे-समझे ए जा रहे र्मा ण का र्य जैसी नुकसा नदेह ग यों को पर्या वरण सहन नहीं कर सकता । छले सा ल, उरा खंड के जो शी मठ शहर के ‘धंसने' की खबर आयी थी । शहर की इमा रतों और सड़कों में दरा रें पड़ गई थीं । अटूबर में म में एक मनद झी ल वा ला बां ध टूट गया था । नवंबर में मा लय की लया रा सुरंग का कुछ सा धंसने के का रण 40 से अ क भा रती य मजर 17 नों तक फंसे रहे थे। ना रा यण ने डी डयू से कहा , "यह हमा री ना समझी का र्फ एक उदा हरण यह है हम स तरह मा लय के संवेदनशी ल त्र में जल त प यो जना एं बना रहे हैं। या यह तय करने के ए बेहतर यो जना नहीं हो नी चा ए लो गों और पा की के ए या अ है? सबसे अहम बा त यह है इन संकटग्रत त्रों के लो गों के पा स आजी का के अ कप हो ने चा ए।” शेष की फा शों को अ का यों ने या नजरअंदा ज केरल के स प मी घा ट में भूखलन की ना शका री घटना ई वह त्र भी पा क प से संवेदनशी ल है। वहां पर्या वरण दों के सुझा वों को नजरअंदा ज या गया । खतरना क और गलत जगहों पर खदा नों की खुदा ई और वनों की कटा ई की गई। पर्या वरण वै क मा धव गा ड ल के नेतृव में एक शेष पैनल ने 2010 में फा श की थी प मी घा ट के 1,29,037 वर्ग लो मी टर त्र के 75 फी सदी से को पर्या वरण के हा ज से संवेदनशी ल घो त या जा ना चा ए, यों वहां घने जंगल हैं और कई नी य प्रजा यां मौ जूद हैं। हा लां , एक अय पैनल की फा शों के आधा र पर इसे ती न सा ल बा द ही घटा कर 50 फी सदी कर या गया । मा तृभू समा चा र पत्र ने गा ड ल की पो र्ट का हवा ला देते ए खा है केरल में 5,924 खदा नें हैं। इनमें कुछ खदा नें पा क प से सबसे या दा संवेदनशी ल इला कों में भी हैं। हा लां , सभी खदा नों के ए सरका र से मंजूरी नहीं ली है, ले न ना पर ट वा ले खदा नों के ऊपर शा यद ही कार्रवा ई की जा ती है। गा ड ल ने कहा भूखलन की यह भया वह घटना इस ए ई है केरल सरका र ने पा की से जुड़ी अहम फा शें ला गू नहीं की । उहों ने मी या को बता या , "कठो र च न के उखनन और भूखलन के प में ढला न के टूटने के बी च सी धा संबंध है, खा सकर वा यना ड जैसे त्र में।” भा रत की मौ सम चेता वनी प्रणा ली तनी अपडेटेड है? केरल का लगभग आधा सा पहा ड़ी और पर्वती य त्र है जहां ढला न 20 ग्री से अ क है। भा रत के भूखलन एटलस के मुता क, 1998 से 2022 के बी च देश के 17 रा यों में ई भूखलन की करी ब 81,000 घटना के आधा र पर हा ल में ए गए आकलन से पता चला है केरल में भूखलन की 6,039 घटना एं । यह गैर- मा लयी रा यों में सबसे ऊपर था या नी यह मा लयी रा यों के बा द सबसे अ क प्रभा त रा य है। इंसा नी ग यों की वजह से हो रहा जलवा यु प वर्तन पहले से ही भा रत में चरम मौ सम की घटना को बढ़ा रहा है समें गर्म लहरें और बा ढ़ शा ल हैं। ऐसी घटना से केरल की खड़ी ढला नों जैसे संवेदनशी ल त्रों में आपदा के बढ़ने की आशंका है। हा या आपदा से पहले, वा यना ड में र्फ 48 घंटों में असा मा य प से 572 ली मी टर बा श ई थी ससे बड़े पैमा ने पर भूखलन आ। टेन त यू व टी ऑफ री ग के मौ सम न भा ग और नेशनल सेंटर फॉ र एटमॉ क सा इंस के मौ सम नी अय देवरस ने जलवा यु में हो रहे ना टकी य बदला व को देखते ए भा रत से अपनी मौ जूदा चेता वनी प्रणा ली को बदलने की मां ग की है। देवरस ने कहा , "अलग-अलग रंगों के ज ए चेता वनी खा ने वा ली मौ जूदा प्रणा ली और चेता वनी या पूर्वा नुमा न में इतेमा ल की जा ने वा ली भा षा तनी असरदा र है,है इस बा रे में र से चा र या जा ना चा ए। इसके ए, मी या , आम लो ग, आपदा रा हत बल और रा य सरकारों से बा तची त की जा नी चा ए और उनकी रा य लेनी चा ए। ऐसी घटना के ए आपदा प्रबंधन के पा रंप क तरी के

PM-KUSUM may miss 2026 targets: Study

India’s solar agriculture scheme launched by the government in 2019 is at a crossroads, the Centre for Science and Environment report said. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme has achieved only 30% of its targets, and may miss its 2026 deadline, the research pointed out. It provides an in-depth analysis based on surveys conducted in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, shedding light on the scheme’s on-ground realities and suggesting a comprehensive roadmap for its successful implementation. The report explained that PM-KUSUM includes three parts. Component A: Installation of mini-grids on barren lands; B: Replacement of diesel water pumps with off-grid solar pumps; C: Replacement of electric water pumps with on-grid solar water pumps and installation of mini-grids for agriculture feeder solarisation. The report shows that Component B has seen significant progress, particularly in Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, components A and C have lagged. Most implementation efforts have focused on replacing diesel pumps with solar variants, which has brought substantial benefits to farmers. The report said the availability of cheap electricity, which diminishes the incentive for farmers to switch to solar pumps, has been a major hurdle. Farmers are often forced to opt for larger-than-needed pumps, increasing their financial burden. Renewables capacity rise to 44% in total power mix in Q2 2024 India’s solar power accounted for 19.4% of the country’s total installed power capacity and 44.2% of the installed renewable capacity in the second quarter (Q2) of 2024, which is up from 15.9% and 38.4% year-on-year (YoY), respectively, Mercom reports. The outlet added that India’s installed renewable energy capacity, including large hydro projects, stood at 196.4 GW at the end of Q2 2024, accounting for a 44% share of the overall power capacity mix, as per Central Electricity Authority (CEA). The total renewable energy (190.6 GW) share was 43.1% of the overall power mix at the end of Q1 2024. Coal remained the top power source (211 GW) at the end of June 2024, and no new capacity was added during the quarter. The Centre, in May 2024, mandated coal-based thermal power projects should incorporate a 5% blend of biomass pellets annually. Rajasthan becomes first to get 50% solar in its total installed power mix Rajasthan achieved over 50% solar in its total installed power capacity, becoming the first state in India to do so, according to Mercom. The sun-rich state has approximately 23 GW of solar capacity, representing 51% of its total installed power capacity, wrote the outlet, adding that solar energy also dominates Rajasthan’s renewable portfolio, accounting for 76% of its total installed renewable energy capacity. The report added that in 2022, Rajasthan became the first state in India to surpass 10 GW of cumulative large-scale solar installations. Rajasthan is the top solar state in India, housing a quarter of India’s cumulative large-scale solar capacity. The Mercom report pointed out that the state provides major sops to industry to set up solar installations such as concessional rates on stamp duty and registration charges for land transactions related to solar energy projects. This significantly reduces the upfront costs for developers. Rajasthan provides exemption from land tax for land used to develop solar projects. This exemption applies for the duration of the project’s operational life. Renewable energy storage to rise to 6 GW by 2028 in India: CRISIL India is expected to install 6 GW of renewable energy (RE) storage capacity by 2028. This is a surge from less than 1 GW operational as of March 2024, driven by a robust pipeline of projects under implementation and expected healthy pace of auctions, according to research agency CRISIL. It added that such an increase is crucial to sustainably absorb the rising share of RE in the country’s overall power generation mix. “Despite slow progress on project implementation, the government’s push to develop RE power and tariffs for round-the-clock renewable energy, discovered in the past two fiscals, being comparable with other sources of round the clock power — improves confidence around adoption,” it said.

Developed countries push to expand contributor base for new climate finance goal

As the deadline to agree on a new climate finance goal nears, developed nations are pushing to expand the list of countries responsible for contributing funds to help developing countries address climate change, with Switzerland even proposing criteria to broaden the donor base. Submissions made by some developed countries to the UNFCCC regarding negotiations on the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) -- the new climate finance goal to be finalised in Baku, Azerbaijan in November -- suggest that wealthy nations might pressure countries with high emissions and high gross national income (GNI) per capita, such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, and China, to contribute. Negotiators from developing countries say a discussion on broadening the climate finance contributor base goes far beyond the mandate for NCQG and could stall negotiations at COP29. According to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), high-income industrialised nations (referred to as Annex II countries) are responsible for providing finance and technology to help developing countries combat and adapt to climate change. These countries include the US, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and European Union (EU) member states such as Germany, France and the UK. Some developed countries, led by the EU and the US, argue that the global economic landscape has changed significantly since 1992. They suggest that nations which have become wealthier during this period, like China and some Gulf states, should also contribute to the new climate finance goal. Developing countries view this as an attempt to shift responsibility from those who have historically benefited from industrialisation and contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions. They argue that expecting them to contribute, especially when many are still struggling with poverty and inadequate infrastructure, undermines the principle of equity. In a submission to the UNFCCC last week, the European Commission said the "collective goal can only be reached if parties with high GHG emissions and economic capabilities join the effort." The US said that while current contributors will continue to support developing countries, other nations with the "capacity to support others in pursuing mitigation and adaptation must also be accountable for delivering on the NCQG's support layer." "Their contributions will also enable a larger quantum for the support layer of the NCQG," the US said, adding that contributing parties could be identified in various ways -- through a "definitional approach, a criteria-based approach, a de facto approach, or otherwise." Switzerland proposed that in addition to developed countries, parties that are among the "10 largest current emitters and have a purchasing power parity-adjusted gross national income per capita of more than $22,000" should also contribute to the new climate finance goal. This proposal puts the spotlight on countries such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, and China. According to the Swiss proposal, countries with cumulative past and current emissions per capita of at least 250 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent and a purchasing power parity-adjusted gross national income per capita of more than $40,000 should also contribute. Diego Pacheco, spokesperson for Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDC) and lead negotiator for Bolivia, told PTI that developing countries were opposed to the idea of reopening and widening the contributors' base beyond the established framework of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. "This goes far beyond the mandates for discussing the NCQG. Developed countries should fulfil their financial commitments," he said. Pacheco said the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities should be central to the negotiations for formulating a meaningful NCQG. Harjeet Singh, a climate activist and Global Engagement Director for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, said the attempt to shift responsibility risks stalling critical negotiations at COP29, leaving vulnerable communities to bear the brunt of catastrophic climate impacts. He said that increasing pressure to expand the contributor base for climate finance undermines the core principles of the UN climate convention and the Paris Agreement, which clearly place the primary responsibility on historically industrialised nations. "While the new proposals acknowledge the cumulative emissions and per capita income of countries, they conveniently overlook the decades of inaction by wealthy nations that have drastically increased the need for climate finance," Singh said. Sehr Raheja, a programme officer at the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment, said that discussions on who should contribute and which countries should be considered developed will require a lot of time, as these questions are "very complicated and technical," while countries will reach the deadline for the NCQG in November. Raheja said if developed countries push to discuss this now, it might derail the NCQG negotiations and prevent them from reaching a fair and timely agreement. She stressed that it is more important to prioritise the establishment of a mechanism to ensure that funds actually reach developing countries, given the track record on commitments by wealthier nations so far, rather than getting stuck on who should contribute.

गोपाल राय ने केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्री को लिखा पत्र, बोले- सर्दियों में प्रदूषण की रोकथाम के लिए पड़ोसी राज्यों की बैठक बुलाइए - Gopal Rai letter to Bhupendra Yadav

दिल्ली एनसीआर में सर्दियों के दौरान प्रदूषण की समस्याओं को देखते हुए दिल्ली के पर्यावरण मंत्री गोपाल राय ने केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्री भूपेंद्र यादव को पत्र लिखा है. इसमें सर्दियों के मौसम से कुछ महीने पहले राय ने केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्री को पत्र लिखकर पड़ोसी राज्यों से प्रदूषण के स्रोतों के मुद्दे पर चर्चा करने और पड़ोसी राज्यों के सहयोग से एक एकीकृत रणनीति विकसित करने के लिए बैठक बुलाने का अनुरोध किया है. राय ने केंद्र सरकार से प्रदूषण के सीमा पार स्रोतों को संबोधित करने के लिए दिल्ली और उसके पड़ोसी राज्यों के बीच सहयोग की सुविधा प्रदान करके मजबूत कार्रवाई करने का आग्रह किया है. उन्होंने पत्र में उल्लेख किया है कि दिल्ली सरकार के प्रयासों और वायु गुणवत्ता में कुछ सुधार के बावजूद राज्य के नियंत्रण से परे कारकों के कारण हवा खतरनाक बनी रहती है, जिसमें फसल अवशेष जलाना, थर्मल प्लांट, ईंट भट्टे, डीजल जनरेटर, गैर-इलेक्ट्रिक वाहन और औद्योगिक उत्सर्जन शामिल हैं. पड़ोसी राज्यों को भी इस पर ध्यान देना चाहिए और समय रहते उपाय करने की जरूरत है. दिल्ली की समग्र वायु गुणवत्ता में सकारात्मक प्रभावः पत्र में गोपाल राय ने जिक्र किया है कि विशेष रूप से दिल्ली सरकार के ठोस प्रयासों के कारण, दिल्ली की समग्र वायु गुणवत्ता में सकारात्मक प्रभाव देखा गया है. 2017 में (152 दिन) से 2023 (206 दिन) तक अच्छी/मध्यम वायु गुणवत्ता वाले दिनों में 35.5 प्रतिशत की वृद्धि देखी गई. दिल्ली सरकार ने प्रदूषण की रोकथाम के लिए ऑड-इवन योजना, इलेक्ट्रिक वाहनों को बढ़ावा देने, सार्वजनिक परिवहन को बढ़ावा देने, पटाखों पर प्रतिबंध लगाने, बड़े पैमाने पर पौधरोपण अभियान चलाने और औद्योगिक इकाइयों को स्वच्छ पीएनजी ईंधन पर स्विच करने जैसी पहलों के माध्यम से प्रदूषण पर नियंत्रण किया है. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एन्वायरमेंट का डेटा के अनुसार, दिल्ली में 31 फीसदी प्रदूषण दिल्ली के आंतरिक स्रोतों की वजह से होता है. जबकि, 69 फीसदी बाहरी स्रोतों की वजह से है. सलाह के तौर पर दिल्ली के आसपास पॉल्यूटिंग ईंधन से चल रही इंडस्ट्री को पीएनजी में शिफ्ट किया जाए. ईंट भट्ठे को जिग-जैग तकनीक में बदला जाए. 24 घंटे बिजली की आपूर्ति की जाए, ताकि जेनरेटर की जरूरत न पड़े. एनसीआर में पटाखों पर पूर्ण प्रतिबंध होना चाहिए, इसका जिक्र है. बता दें, विंटर एक्शन प्लान के तहत दिल्ली में चिह्नित 13 हॉटस्पॉट के लिए अलग-अलग एक्शन प्लान बनाया गया है. निर्माण साइटों पर कड़ी नजर रहेगी, एंटी डस्ट मशीनों का इस्तेमाल करेंगे और वाहन प्रदूषण को कम करने के साथ-साथ खुले में कूड़ा जलाने पर रोक रहेगी. वहीं, प्रदूषण बढ़ने पर सख्ती से ग्रैप को लागू किया जाएगा और पडोसी राज्यों के साथ मिलकर काम करेंगे.

गोपाल राय ने केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्री को लिखा पत्

दिल्ली एनसीआर में सर्दियों के दौरान प्रदूषण की समस्याओं को देखते हुए दिल्ली के पर्यावरण मंत्री गोपाल राय ने केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्री भूपेंद्र यादव को पत्र लिखा है। इसमें सर्दियों के मौसम से कुछ महीने पहले राय ने केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्री को पत्र लिखकर पड़ो सी राज्यों से प्रदूषण के स्रोतों के मुद्दे पर चर्चा करने और पड़ोसी राज्यों के सहयोग से एक एकीकृत रणनीति विकसित करने के लिए बैठक बुलाने का अनुरोध किया है। राय ने केंद्र सरकार से प्रदूषण के सीमा पार स्रोतों को संबोधित करने के लिए दिल्ली और उसके पड़ोसी राज्यों के बीच सहयोग की सुविधा प्रदान करके मजबूत कार्रवाई करने का आग्रह किया है। उन्होंनेन्हों नेपत्र में उल्लेख किया है कि दिल्ली सरकार के प्रयासों और वायु गुणवत्ता में कुछ सुधार के बावजूद राज्य के नियंत्रण से परे कारकों के कारण हवा खतरनाक बनी रहती है, जिसमें फसल अवशेष जलाना, थर्मल प्लांट, ईंट भट्टे, डीजल जनरेटर, गैर-इलेक्ट्रिक वाहन और औद्योगिक उत्सर्जन शामिल हैं। पड़ोसी राज्यों को भी इस पर ध्यान देना चाहिए और समय रहते उपाय करने की जरूरत है। पत्र में गोपाल राय ने जिक्र किया है कि विशेष रूप से दिल्ली सरकार के ठोस प्रयासों के कारण, दिल्ली की समग्र वायु गुणवत्ता में सकारात्मक प्रभा व देखा गया है। 2017 में (152 दिन) से 2023 (206 दिन) तक अच्छी/मध्यम वायु गुणवत्ता वाले दिनों में 35.5 प्रतिशत की वृद्धि देखी गई। दिल्ली सरकार ने प्रदूषण की रोकथाम के लिए ऑड-इवन योजना, इलेक्ट्रिक वाहनों को बढ़ावा देने, सार्वजनि क परिवहन को बढ़ावा देने, पटाखों पर प्रतिबंध लगाने, बड़े पैमाने पर पौधरोपण अभियान चलाने और औद्योगिक इकाइयों को स्वच्छ पीएनजी ईंधन पर स्विच करने जैसी पहलों के माध्यम से प्रदूषण पर नियंत्रण किया है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एन्वायरमेंट का डेटा के अनुसार, दिल्ली में 31 फीसदी प्रदूषण दिल्ली के आंतरिक स्रोतों की वजह से होता है। जबकि, 69 फीसदी बाहरी स्रोतों की वजह से है। सलाह के तौर पर दिल्ली के आसपास पॉल्यूटिंग ईंधन से चल रही इंडस्ट्री को पीएनजी में शिफ्ट किया जाए। ईंट भट्ठे को जिग-जैग तकनीक में बदला जा ए। 24 घंटे बिजली की आपूर्ति की जाए, ताकि जेनरेटर की जरूरत न पड़े। एनसीआर में पटाखों पर पूर्ण प्रतिबंध होना चाहिए, इसका जिक्र है।

Buoyed by rain, Delhi clocks 22 consecutive days of ‘satisfactory’ air

Propelled by incessant rainfall over the past month, Delhi recorded 22 consecutive days of “satisfactory” air quality till Sunday, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, marking the cleanest spell of air quality in the Capital since 2020, when a combination of Covid-19 lockdown and rainfall set a record streak of 51 consecutive days of good or satisfactory air quality. Experts said good wind speed and a combination of rain throughout August has helped wash out pollutants, not allowing the air quality to spike drastically. So far this month, Delhi has recorded rain on all days, except August 3. This also means Sunday was the 15th consecutive day of rain Delhi clocked, which is the longest such streak in at least 13 years, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data available since 2011. “What we are seeing since end of July and now through August is the role of good consistent rain and spells of strong wind speed in between. If there is sufficient rain, particulate matter settles down and only if there are dry spells in between that we see AQI gradually returning to moderate. As rain has been consistent, we are not seeing that spike; even gases like O3, CO and NO have been kept in check by good wind speed,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre and Science and Environment (CSE). To be sure, the streaks are based on consecutive days where the air quality index (AQI), as calculated by CPCB, has been below 100. An AQI of 0-50 is classified “good”, 51-100 “satisfactory”, 101-200 “moderate”, 201-300 “poor”, 301-400 “very poor” and over 400 “severe”, according to CPCB.

Can India Have A Pollution-Free Future?

“You probably doubt that we were capable of joy, but I assure you we were. We still had the night sky back then, and like our ancestors, we admired its illuminated doodles… Absolutely, there were some forests left! Absolutely, we still had some lakes! I’m saying, it wasn’t all lead paint and sulfur dioxide” —Letter to Someone Living Fifty Years from Now, Matthew Olzmann Seven years ago, a family of three moved to Delhi with two bags in hand, and big dreams in their hearts. Rajesh, who belongs to Bharatpur, Rajasthan, found a job as a cab driver in the capital. His wife Jyoti enrolled their six-year-old son, Anurag, in school. Anurag made new friends. Jyoti joined a women’s self-help group in their neighbourhood. The three of them got used to Delhi’s rhythm, but what they couldn’t handle was the pollution. Anurag developed a chronic cough and breathing problems. Hospital visits became a regular nightmare. Rajesh also had his share of health troubles: chest pain crippled him when the air quality worsened in winter. His eyes would water all the time and customers would ask him why he looked so sad when he ferried them across town. He carried on working, but he couldn’t bear to see his son suffer. In two years, an anxious Rajesh convinced Jyoti and Anurag to move back to their hometown. He promised to visit them every month. Rajesh and his family are among many whose lives have been disrupted by Delhi’s pollution menace. In “pollution season” (October to December), when the air quality plummets the most, the number of patients at city hospitals with breathlessness and other respiratory problems increases sharply. A survey by LocalCircles, a Delhi-based platform, found that 80 per cent of families in the city have at least one member who suffers from pollution-related health issues. Forty-eight per cent of them are affected by air pollution. In the 2023 IQAir air quality global ranking of cities, Delhi is listed as the most polluted capital in the world. Nine of the top ten most polluted cities on the list are in India and 83 Indian cities figure among the 100 most polluted cities globally. social Artwork by AnupriyaArtwork by Anupriya “You probably doubt that we were capable of joy, but I assure you we were. We still had the night sky back then, and like our ancestors, we admired its illuminated doodles… Absolutely, there were some forests left! Absolutely, we still had some lakes! I’m saying, it wasn’t all lead paint and sulfur dioxide” —Letter to Someone Living Fifty Years from Now, Matthew Olzmann Seven years ago, a family of three moved to Delhi with two bags in hand, and big dreams in their hearts. Rajesh, who belongs to Bharatpur, Rajasthan, found a job as a cab driver in the capital. His wife Jyoti enrolled their six-year-old son, Anurag, in school. Anurag made new friends. Jyoti joined a women’s self-help group in their neighbourhood. The three of them got used to Delhi’s rhythm, but what they couldn’t handle was the pollution. Anurag developed a chronic cough and breathing problems. Hospital visits became a regular nightmare. Rajesh also had his share of health troubles: chest pain crippled him when the air quality worsened in winter. His eyes would water all the time and customers would ask him why he looked so sad when he ferried them across town. He carried on working, but he couldn’t bear to see his son suffer. In two years, an anxious Rajesh convinced Jyoti and Anurag to move back to their hometown. He promised to visit them every month. Rajesh and his family are among many whose lives have been disrupted by Delhi’s pollution menace. In “pollution season” (October to December), when the air quality plummets the most, the number of patients at city hospitals with breathlessness and other respiratory problems increases sharply. A survey by LocalCircles, a Delhi-based platform, found that 80 per cent of families in the city have at least one member who suffers from pollution-related health issues. Forty-eight per cent of them are affected by air pollution. In the 2023 IQAir air quality global ranking of cities, Delhi is listed as the most polluted capital in the world. Nine of the top ten most polluted cities on the list are in India and 83 Indian cities figure among the 100 most polluted cities globally. by TaboolaSponsored LinksYou May Like How a Simple $250 Amazon CFD Investment Can Benefit You CPX Income above 7L? Check this 1Cr Term Plan Max Life Insurance Delhi - Finally, a hearing aid for real conversations at a surprising cost! Hear.com Solve Your Relationship Problems Simply By Doing This Remedy AstroLearn It isn’t just the air we breathe. Water, the vital life force, is under threat too. Six per cent of the Indian population lacks access to safe water according to a Water.org report. Drinking water sources are polluted in many parts of the country. According to Satish Sinha, Associate Director, Toxics Link, there is “growing evidence of increased contamination of surface water with microplastics. We [India] are yet to set standards for microplastics in drinking water.” Every Breath You Take Air pollution is often labelled a “silent killer”. But considering the damage it inflicts on lives and livelihoods, it’s more apt to call it an aggressive assassin. A study by researchers at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University found that pollution caused by man-made emissions and disasters like wildfires can be linked to 135 million premature deaths worldwide between 1980-2020. Extreme weather events caused by climate change intensify the concentration of pollutants in the air. A multi-city study in India, published in the Lancet, has found that over 33,000 deaths in the country annually can be attributed to short-term exposure to air pollution. These are caused by inhaling ultra-fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) at levels that are much higher than the 24-hour limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO classifies PM 2.5 above 5 mg per cubic metre as unsafe while Indian air quality norms allow annual average PM 2.5 concentrations of up to 40 mg per cubic metre. According to ‘State of Global Air (SoGa) 2024’ published by the Health Effects Institute, 464 children under the age of five die in India daily due to factors associated with air pollution. Children’s lungs are still developing. This makes their vulnerable bodies much more susceptible to the dangers of breathing in particulate matter. The particles are so fine that once inhaled, they can penetrate the lungs, enter the blood stream, and cause damage to all organs. Inhaling PM 2.5 poses serious health risks to both children and adults. In children, it can cause asthma, reduction in brain volume, behavioural dysfunction, and impaired lung growth. Another alarming affect: PM 2.5 pollution decreases children’s Performance IQ (PIQ), the type of intelligence which makes them good at adapting to change and solving problems. The damage caused in childhood can have a long-lasting impact on their lives. According to Ghodajkar Prachinkumar Rajeshrao, Assistant Professor, Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University, air pollution is an “equaliser” since it affects people from all classes. “But those who lack access to clean water and safe housing are disproportionately affected,” he says. “Comprehensive solutions for the problem have to bring all social groups to a common platform.” Troubled Waters In 2024, pollutants contaminating groundwater are reported to have affected over two million Indians. Water quality deteriorates due to dumping of industrial waste, domestic sewage, and agricultural runoff in rivers and lakes. Only 28 per cent of urban sewage is treated before being disposed off in lakes, rivers, and aquifers. Rivers such as the Yamuna and the Ganga, which are considered sacred and worshipped by many, are clogged with untreated waste and disposed idols and flowers. Uncontaminated freshwater sources are dwindling. The scarcity of safe water has set off a wave of migration to cities from rural areas. “Access to clean drinking water is still a distant dream for people living in various parts of our country,” says Sinha. “Different geographies have different challenges and we have not addressed them all,” he adds, while pointing out that government schemes like ‘Nal Jal Yojana’ are appreciable, but a lot more needs to be done by both the Central and the state governments. Salvaging the Future Amidst the gloom, are there glimmers of light? Can we work for a pollution-free future even as we face existential threats? Hope is always at hand. And as Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg said, “Hope is not passive…Hope is taking action.” An actionable, much-needed step in the right direction would be the revision of India’s current air quality standards, which are much more lenient than WHO limits. In a recent interaction with a news agency, environmentalist Sunita Narain, Director General of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), called for “steps to be taken at the speed at which the crisis is happening”. With a groundwater shortage accelerated by climate change looming, water is fast becoming a scarce resource. Conservation efforts and the monitoring of the quality of water bodies must be stepped up. Upgradation of waste water treatment plants is also crucial. Many citizen-led groups are spearheading the cleanup of polluted rivers and lakes. Individuals and civil society groups have approached the courts to safeguard rivers from pollution any number of times. With the Indian Supreme Court recognising the right against climate change to protect the fundamental rights to life and to a clean environment, policymakers will have to tackle pollution and climate change jointly to find effective solutions. United Nations (UN) projections say India will overtake China as the single most populous country in the world by 2028. In light of this fact, the need for humane, environmentally sound policies that protect Indians from pollution becomes all the more urgent.

For an effective carbon market

New Delhi: As India prepares to roll out its own national compliance-based carbon market, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has prepared a clear roadmap to help it along. India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced in the Budget of 2024-25 that a plan and appropriate regulations will be put in place for the transition of hard-to-abate sectors from a Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) mode to an Indian Carbon Market (ICM) mode. CSE released its proposed roadmap as part of its new report titled, ‘The Indian Carbon Market: Pathways towards an effective mechanism’ at a global webinar. India has pledged to meet its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets by 2030, and aims for net-zero emissions by 2070, in line with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) guidelines. To meet these ambitious goals, the country has set out on a pathway to develop and launch its own national compliance-based carbon market. Formation of the Indian Carbon Market (ICM) had been announced under the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act of 2022. More recently, The Carbon Credit and Trading Scheme (CCTS) was notified in July 2023, with an aim to reduce GHG emissions. CSE director general Sunita Narain said: “The upcoming Indian Carbon Market scheme should kick start with a large coverage of the country’s emissions. A single nation-wide carbon market scheme for carbon-intensive sectors should be brought in to ensure effective implementation and avoid any complexity. For this scheme to be effective, it also needs to ensure a high carbon price, data integrity and transparency.” CSE’s report has analysed four Emission Trading Schemes (ETS) in use worldwide: the European Union Emission Trading System, the Korean ETS, the Chinese ETS, and the Surat ETS. India’s Perform, Achieve, and Trade (PAT) scheme, which specified energy reduction targets over three-year cycles, has also been assessed as it sets the base for the upcoming Indian Carbon Market scheme. Says Nivit Yadav, programme director, industrial pollution, CSE: “The PAT scheme was initiated with the good intention of increasing energy efficiency in industrial sectors, but faced several shortcomings in implementation. Our analysis shows it has achieved marginal emissions reduction, which is not enough as India attempts to travel towards decarbonisation, especially in the hard-to-abate industries.” In its PAT assessment, CSE has analysed emissions reductions in the power, steel and cement sectors. Says Parth Kumar, programme manager, industrial pollution, CSE: “We have found that in 2016, the Indian steel sector emissions stood at 135 million tonne (MT) of CO2 while it managed to reduce an average of only 2.5 MT of CO2 emissions per year between 2012 and 2020 (as per BEE data) -- the sector reduced a mere 1.85 per cent emissions in a year. Similarly, the cement sector’s reduction was less than 1 per cent, while the power sector managed to cut down 2.3 per cent of its overall CO2 emissions of 2016 over a span of 6 years. Our analysis has highlighted the challenges in the PAT scheme, which include excess availability of ESCerts, lenient targets and delayed compliance. The newly proposed Carbon Credit and Trading Scheme (CCTS) which aims to build on PAT’s framework, needs to address these shortcomings.” New challenges for proposed scheme? Low price of carbon credit and low market liquidity: Several global carbon markets have initially faced low carbon prices and market liquidity – India’s PAT scheme had also faced the challenge of low pricing and excess availability of certificates. Unambitious target setting: So far, the PAT scheme has faced criticism for its goal-setting, which was perceived as lacking ambition: this has led to overachievement of targets and an oversupply of ESCerts, leading to a poor market price. Dependence on the PAT scheme: “This is one of the biggest challenges, as CCTS is going to transition from PAT. This dependence might limit its potential and its selection of obligated entities, which can make the scheme less effective and delay the decarbonisation efforts,” says Kumar. Running both schemes parallelly can create confusion within the sector and companies. Currently, there are plans for entities completing their PAT cycle to receive CCTS targets, which might not be the best way to shortlist entities for the scheme. This does not give a clear signal to achieve maximum emission reduction from CCTS. No revenue generation: Currently, the scheme does not have a clause for revenue generation. ETS schemes around the world have a way of generating revenue through auctioning allowances which are then allotted to modernisation, supporting of new entrants and small business, affected communities, and for financing decarbonisation. Data quality: Data quality issues have been reported in the Chinese and Surat ETS, especially data frauds in China ETS. The PAT scheme suffers from data transparency concerns. The smaller industries in CCTS will have a hard time producing data for their raw material and fuels, which are usually sourced from informal markets. Absence of a market stability mechanism: Market stability mechanisms play a crucial role in ensuring stability through holding and releasing credits into the market in case of unexpected external events. Currently, the Indian Carbon Market has not come out with any detailed proposed for any such mechanism. Non-imposition of penalties: Penalties under the PAT scheme are hardly imposed. Even if penalties are strict, the whole purpose is lost if regulators won’t levy them on entities. What does CSE recommend? Ensure a stable, high carbon price: To do this, it is essential for the upcoming carbon market to set ambitious targets, establish market stability mechanisms, set up a high floor price and implement sizable penalties effectively. Voluntary credits should be limited to less than 5 per cent and should be of high integrity. Ensure data quality and improved transparency: To avoid data fraud as seen in the Chinese ETS, India must consider introducing heavy penalties and rigorous monitoring cycles for the obligated entities -- China has done it in its 2024 regulation. It is also essential to build the capacity of carbon verifiers, involve multiple agencies in this job, and increase their numbers to ensure smooth data collection and MRV. It is essential to share reporting data in the public domain, which would then shield the data from manipulation. The current Indian carbon market model lacks revenue generation mechanisms -- it is crucial to devise methods to generate revenue from the scheme, which could fund MSMEs. A system (technological and financial) needs to be developed to support the MSME sector under CCTS to create a level playing field for them. To address the significant contribution of the power sector to greenhouse gas emissions and to ensure effective progress towards India’s NDC targets, it is imperative to include the power sector in the carbon market scheme. The sector’s continuation under the PAT scheme might not be enough for the future needs of decarbonisation.