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Cse In News

Anti-people’ environmental law amendments made in past 10 yrs must be rolled back: Cong

Stepping up its attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre over the issue of air pollution, the Congress on Monday demanded that the “anti-people” environmental law amendments made in the past 10 years by the ruling dispensation be rolled back. Congress General Secretary in-charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh said, “Among the lesser-known tragedies of the non-biological PM’s reign is the rapidly deteriorating air quality nationally and the inattentiveness and policy chaos that has characterised the Government’s response to it.” He claimed that in early July, a study published in the Lancet journal showed that 7.2 per cent of all deaths in India are associated with air pollution. “In mid-July, a study by the Centre for Science and Environment revealed that the Government’s interventions in pollution control are poorly designed, with the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) largely focused on mitigating road dust rather than industrial, vehicular, and biomass emissions – the source of PM 2.5 – that are the leading causes of mortality,” Ramesh said.

Central Govt. Urges States, UTs to Use Plastic Waste in Urban Road Infrastructure

Plastic waste management has become one of the biggest, uncontrolled challenge in the recent year. To address the challenge, the central government has asked states and union territories (UTs) to use plastic waste in city road construction. The states and UTs are advised to use plastic waste 8 percent of the weight of bitumen for road construction of cities, including the internal roads of housing colonies and offices. In 2013, the Indian Road Congress had released guidelines for the use of plastic waste in road construction. Furthermore, in 2015, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) mandated states and UTs to utilize plastic waste with bitumen in constructing the roads within a 50km periphery of urban areas with apopulation of 5 lakh and above. Against this backdrop, through a written communication, the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry recently asked the states and UTs to take steps to implement the Indian Road Congress guidelines. The center has also asked the states and UTs to take up the issue with their key road construction departments - Rural Development Department, PWD and Panchayati Raj. Experts, however, are of a different opinion than considering the use of plastic waste in road construction as the best solution to plastic waste management. “Using plastic waste in road making is a form of end of life disposal, which is the least preferred option compared to mechanical recycling and co-processing. Reduction of plastic waste should be the first and most preferred option, followed by mechanical recycling and co-processing,” Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh, programme manager for the Centre for Science and Environment’s for municipal solid waste and circular economy unit was quoted telling The Indian Express. As of July 2021, around 703 km of National Highways have been built using plastic waste. Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and Municipality of Tamil Naduhave also been using plastic waste in its road construction. Some experts believe that plastic waste can improve the stability, strength, and lifespan of roads and is more water-resistant.

World Ozone Day 2024: Raise Your Voice for a Healthier Planet

Living in an era where climate change has gained international attention does not mean we will be immune to its negative consequences. In this context, it is crucial to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the ozone layer and taking action to reduce our carbon footprint. The ozone layer, also known as the ozone shield, is a thin layer of gas in the Earth's stratosphere with a relatively high concentration of ozone (O3) molecules. It plays an important role in protecting the planet from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, which can cause a variety of skin diseases. This is where celebrating Ozone Day plays a significant role. World Ozone Day, also referred to as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, is dedicated to raising awareness about the ozone layer's importance in protecting life, given its significant depletion in recent years. World Ozone Day, also referred to as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, is dedicated to raising awareness about the ozone layer's importance in protecting life, given its significant depletion in recent years. History and Importance of Ozone Day In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly designated September 16 as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987. The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty aimed at safeguarding the ozone layer by reducing the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances. "Save the Ozone" Initiative by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE): The CSE, a leading environmental NGO in India, conducts research, awareness programs, and advocacy campaigns to promote ozone-friendly technologies and policies and to educate the public about the risks of ozone layer depletion. As we celebrate World Ozone Day 2024, we pay tribute to every individual working tirelessly to raise awareness, advocate sustainable practices, and safeguard the ozone layer, thereby ensuring the success of World Ozone Day in India.

Real-world emissions much higher than lab tests, study shows

Real-world vehicle emissions are much higher than laboratory tests suggest and CNG vehicles, once considered a cleaner alternative, actually emit high levels of nitrogen oxides, according to a new study. Conducted as part of The Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) Initiative in collaboration with authorities in Delhi and Gurugram, the study utilised non-intrusive remote sensing technology to measure the emissions of on-road vehicles. The study, conducted with technical analysis by the global think tank International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), revealed that nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from BS-VI private cars were 81 per cent lower than those from BS-IV cars. Similarly, BS-VI buses produced 95 per cent lower NOx compared to BS-IV buses. The study also found that compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle fleets emitted high levels of NOx, challenging the narrative of CNG being a "clean" alternative fuel. For example, Class II light goods vehicles emit up to 14.2 times their NOx lab limits while taxis emit four times the amount. This also means that to improve air quality, it is crucial to focus on the actual emissions from vehicles on the road, not just their lab results. Commercial vehicles, such as taxis and light goods vehicles, emit much more NOx than private cars, even if they meet the same emission standards. "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 substantial emissions data from motor vehicles on the road. It is crucial to remember that what impacts our air quality is not the laboratory emissions but the pollutants released by these vehicles in operation," said ICCT India Managing Director Amit Bhatt. "Therefore, it is time to rethink our emissions testing regime and aggressively push for the adoption of zero-emission vehicles," he added. FIA Foundation Deputy Director Sheila Watson said the research clearly showed India and the rest of the world that CNG was not the clean alternative fuel that was promised. "While Delhi struggles with dirty air, a visible killer hanging over the city, TRUE has shown that this less visible but still deadly fuel is not the solution. For health and for the climate, the answers to dirty air lie in switching to walking, cycling, and shared electric mobility," she said. The report's release is timely, given the recent directive from the Supreme Court to finalise the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 170 and implement remote sensing in the National Capital Region. AIS 170 will set the technical parameters for remote sensing devices and equip authorities with the necessary resources to measure vehicle exhaust in real time. "Remote sensing technology has the capability to non-intrusively screen tailpipe emissions from vehicles on a mass scale under real-world conditions and can help identify highly polluting vehicles. It is encouraging to see the Supreme Court and the (Union) Ministry of Road Transport and Highways moving forward with the implementation of this technology, beginning with the National Capital Region," said ICCT India researcher Anirudh Narla. "Remote sensing as an on-road surveillance method can not only help identify and remove the worst emitters but also helps understand emissions performance of different technologies and fuels. This shows that while the CNG transition has helped cut toxic particulate emissions from diesel vehicles during the early years, NOx emissions from on-road CNG vehicles without adequate controls can still be high. This builds a case for the next major transition to electrification to make tailpipe emissions not cleaner but zero," said Executive Director (Research and Advocacy) at the Centre for Science and Environment, India, Anumita Roychowdhury. Meanwhile, there is a growing push to consider auto LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) as a more environmentally-friendly fuel option. It produces fewer harmful pollutants and could be a better alternative to CNG, according to proponents. The Indian Auto LPG Coalition (IAC) recently urged Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav to endorse auto LPG as an environmentallyfriendly alternative fuel. In a letter to Yadav, IAC Director General Suyash Gupta said auto LPG, as a clean-burning fuel, significantly reduced emissions of harmful pollutants such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide, leading to improved air quality and a reduced carbon footprint. This positions auto LPG as a "net zero hero", aligning with India's international environmental commitments, he said. "Auto LPG emits 20 per cent less CO2 compared to petrol and 60 per cent less than diesel. It produces almost no particulate matter, a major cause of air pollution, and has significantly lower nitrogen oxide emissions. Auto LPG is also around 40 per cent cheaper than petrol, and the conversion cost for a petrol vehicle to auto LPG is around Rs 30,000, which is much lower than the conversion cost for an EV," he said.

Even BS VI emissions in Delhi, Gurugram higher than on paper, finds study

A new study has found that real-world emissions from vehicles in Delhi and Gurugram, even those complying with the latest Bharat Stage VI (BS VI) emission standards, are significantly higher than what they are meant to be on paper. The findings — including readings that were a whopping 5-14.2 times for some types of goods vehicles and at least four times higher for taxis — appear to suggest the emissions certifications system and its enforcement is woefully inadequate and that pollution control obligations may have remained only on paper. Even CNG-fuelled cars, which were previously considered a cleaner alternative, on average emitted 1.5 times higher pollution than they were meant to conform to. CNG light goods vehicles were found to be the biggest emitter of NOx ((nitrous oxides), CO (carbon monoxide), hydrocarbon (HC), and particulate matter (PM) within BS VI fleet in Delhi. Across all kinds of fleet and segments, BS IV CNG buses were the top pollutant. The study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) was conducted in collaboration with the Delhi Transport department and Gurugram Deputy Commissioner’s office using remote sensing technology. Sensors were placed at 20 locations — 15 in Delhi and five in Gurugram — with which the team studied real-world tailpipe emissions from vehicles. Of particular concern appeared to be NOx (nitrous oxides) pollutants, which are a key cause of smog and the ultrafine PM2.5 particles, even in the latest BS VI vehicle, but in particular commercial vehicles, such as buses, taxis and light goods vehicles, or mini trucks. ““The top pollutant in Delhi and most of Northern India is usually is particulate matter (PM), which also receives more attention is various studies. However, we are seeing that NOx emissions need to monitored very effectively from the transport sector because NOx contributes to secondary particulate matter and in turn high pollution levels in Delhi NCR,” said Amit Bhatt, India managing director ICCT in a press conference on Friday. Bhatt explained that “real-world emissions of BS VI vehicles are found to be higher compared to the lab values mainly because of loading, road conditions, maintenance etc”. The current PUC regime does not capture particulate matter and NOx emissions for petrol and CNG, while for diesel it is basically capturing none of the criteria pollutant — which makes the testing system in need of a complete revamp. To be sure, the report found that progression in emission standards generally led to significant reductions in emissions across all vehicles and pollutant types. But while BS VI vehicles showed substantial improvements over BS IV, many still exceeded the limits they have been certified for, especially for NOx. The study also found that the current Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) test is not reflective of real-world driving emissions. Bhatt stated, “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.” The results showed that compared to the lab limits, real world NOx emissions from BS IV light goods vehicles (LGVs) were 14-25 times the permissible limits, and around 14 times for BS IV petrol taxis as well as BS VI LGVs. Compared to the PUCC limits, 51.4% of the BS IV LGVs, 15.6% of the BS VI taxis and 44-47% of the BS IV taxis and 31.3% of the BS IV private cars, exhibited real world concentration of HC more than twice the limit. Similarly, 37.6% of the BS IV LGVs, 28% of the BS IV taxis and 17.5% of the BS VI taxis exhibited real world concentration of CO more than twice the limit. The results suggest a need for combined benefits of stricter emission standards and an accelerated shift to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), at least in the commercial vehicle category, ICCT 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 programme targeted at highly polluting vehicle segments. Sheila Watson, deputy director of the Foundation for the Automobile and Society, commented, “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.” The study’s findings are particularly significant given Delhi’s history with CNG. In 1998, the Supreme Court ordered all public transport vehicles in Delhi running on diesel to switch to CNG by 2001, including buses, three-wheelers, and taxis. Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director of the Centre for Science and Environment, commented on the findings: “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.” The study included two-wheelers, three-wheelers, cars, taxis, buses and light goods vehicles, but not heavy goods vehicles like trucks as these were not allowed during the winter months when the study was conducted. Of the total vehicles studied, 52.9% were registered in Delhi, 27.9% were registered in Haryana, 13.7% were registered in Uttar Pradesh, while the rest were from other states. The campaign was conducted across 20 test sites over 65 days from December 2022 to April 2023, capturing 111,712 valid measurements.

PM-KUSUM योजना को पुनः अंशांकन की आवश्यकता

वर्ष 2019 में शुरू की गई प्रधानमंत्री किसान ऊर्जा एवं उत्थान महाभियान (पीएम कुसुम योजना) का एक सराहनीय उद्देश्य है: भारत में कृषि को सौर ऊर्जा से संचालित करना। लेकिन अपनी शुरुआत के छह वर्षों में, इस योजना ने अपने लक्ष्यों का केवल लगभग 30 प्रतिशत ही हासिल किया है। इसकी समय-सीमा वर्ष - 2026 - तेजी से नजदीक आ रही है, क्या यह शेष लक्ष्य को भी हासिल कर पाएगी? सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की एक नई रिपोर्ट, जो विशेष रूप से योजना के जमीनी क्रियान्वयन पर किसानों के दृष्टिकोण से डेटा और जानकारी एकत्र करने पर केंद्रित है, ने पीएम-कुसुम को अपने लक्ष्यों को प्राप्त करने में मदद करने के लिए एक रोडमैप पेश किया है। पीएम कुसुम योजना के कार्यान्वयन की चुनौतियां: चयनित भारतीय राज्यों से केस स्टडीज शीर्षक वाली रिपोर्ट आज यहां सीएसई द्वारा आयोजित एक वेबिनार में जारी की गई। सीएसई के औद्योगिक प्रदूषण और नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा के कार्यक्रम निदेशक निवित कुमार यादव के अनुसार, इस योजना को तीन घटकों में विभाजित किया गया है, जिसमें (ए) बंजर भूमि पर मिनी ग्रिड की स्थापना, (बी) डीजल जल पंपों को बदलने के लिए ऑफ-ग्रिड सौर जल पंपों की स्थापना, और (सी) बिजली के पानी के पंपों को बदलने के लिए ऑन-ग्रिड सौर जल पंपों की स्थापना और कृषि फीडर सोलराइजेशन के लिए मिनी ग्रिड की स्थापना पर ध्यान केंद्रित किया गया है। अधिकांश कार्यान्वयन घटक बी के तहत हुआ है, जिसमें हरियाणा, राजस्थान, महाराष्ट्र और उत्तर प्रदेश शीर्ष प्रदर्शन करने वाले राज्यों में से हैं। घटक ए और सी में न्यूनतम कार्यान्वयन देखा गया है। हरियाणा के सोनीपत जिले के अटेरना गाँव से पीएम-कुसुम योजना का एक लाभार्थी, जो कहता है: “सौर जल पंप ने खेती की गतिविधियों को आसान बना दिया है हमारी ज़मीन पर सोलर वाटर पंप लगने का मतलब है कि अब हमें बिजली कटौती के डर के बिना दिन में अपनी ज़मीन की सिंचाई करने की आज़ादी है।” डीजल या बिजली के पंपों से सौर ऊर्जा से चलने वाले पंपों पर जाने वाले किसानों ने इसे लाभदायक पाया है, लेकिन केवल तभी जब उन्होंने जो पंप लगाए हैं वे सही आकार के हों - रिपोर्ट कहती है कि हरियाणा के किसान डीजल वाटर पंपों से सोलर वेरिएंट पर स्विच करने के बाद प्रति वर्ष 55,000 रुपये तक बचा रहे हैं।

On-road pollution by Delhi vehicles exceeds emission limits: Study

Your vehicle, despite passing PUC tests, is likely emitting more pollutants than the emission standard while running on the road, reveals a new study. Vehicles, including those under the latest BS VI norms, emit much more in real-world operations as compared to type-approval (laboratory) limits, says a new study by International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). The non-profit agency analysed pollutants like carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and UV smoke (particulate matter) emitted by 1.1 lakh vehicles using remote sensing technology at 20 locations in Delhi and Gurgaon. It found commercial vehicles were far more polluting than private ones. BS VI taxi (CNG) and light goods vehicles fleets emit 2.4 and 5 times more NOx than their private car counterparts fuelled by petrol, diesel and CNG. The study challenges the notion that vehicles fuelled by compressed natural gas (CNG) are a “clean” transportation alternative. The real-world NOx emissions of the BS VI CNG fleet for three-wheelers, private cars, taxis, LGVs class I, LGVs class II, and buses 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. Atype approval certificate is given to a vehicle manufacturer after it meets technical, safety and other requirements and is allowed to be sold in the markets. The study was part of the Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) Initiative, conducted in collaboration with authorities in Delhi and Gurgaon.It stated that India’s strategy of leapfrogging from BS IV to BS VI emission standards led to significant reductions in tailpipe emissions across all pollutants measured and vehicle types captured. For instance, real-world NOx emissions from private cars showed areduction of 81% and emissions from buses showed a reduction of nearly 95%. However, despite this improvement, real-world emissions from BS VI vehicles in many cases remain higher than type-approval limits, particularly for NOx. Since vehicles are a major source of air within Delhi, the study highlighted gaps in pollution under control (PUC) certificates, which miss out on key pollutants like NOx and PM and do not capture real-world emissions and idle-state tests. The study recommends PUC could be complemented with real-world technologies like remote sensing. Kolkata is the only city in the country which is using it since 2009. Amit Bhatt, India managing director ICCT, said it’s time to reimagine our emissions testing regime and aggressively push for the adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). “For the first time in India, we have collected significant emissions data from vehicles on the road and what impacts our air quality is not the laboratory emissions, but the pollutants released by these vehicles while on the road,” said Bhatt. Anirudh Narla, researcher at ICCT India, said remote sensing technology can nonintrusively screen tailpipe emissions from vehicles on a mass scale under real-world operations and aid in identify ing highly polluting vehicles. The report recommends finalising and publishing the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 170, which will set the required technical parameters for remote sensing devices and provide authorities with the proper resources to measure vehicle exhaust in real-time. Sheila Watson, FIA Foundation deputy director, said, “This important research clearly shows India and the rest of the world that CNG is not the clean alternative fuel which was promised.” Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said remote sensing as an on-road surveillance method can not only help identify and weed out the worst emitters but also help understand emissions performance of different technologies and fuels. “This shows that while the CNG transition has helped cut toxic particulate emissions from diesel vehicles during the early years, NOx emissions from on-road CNG vehicles without adequate controls can be high. This builds a case for the next big transition to electrification to make tailpipe emissions not cleaner but zero,” she added.

Vehicles may be polluting more than y despite passing PUC tests

Despite passing Pollution Under Control (PUC) tes roads are likely emitting more pollutants than thei TOI reported citing a new study by the Internation Transportation (ICCT). The study reveals that even vehicles adhering to th significantly higher emissions in real-world condit settings. The ICCT's analysis used remote sensing technology to measure pollutants such as carb hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter from 1.1 lakh vehicles and Gurgaon. The findings highlighted that commercial vehicles contribute more to pollution than priv CNG taxis and light goods vehicles emitting 2.4 and 5 times more NOx, respectively, than The study challenges the perception of compressed natural gas (CNG) as a “clean” alternat the real-world NOx emissions of BS VI CNG vehicles, including three-wheelers, private ca multiple times higher than the type-approval limits, which are based on laboratory tests. Type approval certificates are granted to vehicle manufacturers once their vehicles meet s standards, allowing them to be sold in the market. The study was part of the Real Urban E conducted in collaboration with authorities in Delhi and Gurgaon. While the leap from BS IV to BS VI emission standards in India has resulted in substantia emissions, the study notes that real-world emissions for BS VI vehicles still exceed type-a NOx. For example, while real-world NOx emissions from private cars decreased by 81% an they still remained higher than expected. Given that vehicles are a major source of air pollution in Delhi, the study points out signifi certification process, which fails to measure key pollutants like NOx and particulate matt real-world emissions. The study suggests that PUC tests should be complemented with re remote sensing, a practice currently only used in Kolkata since 2009. Amit Bhatt, India Managing Director at ICCT, emphasized the need to rethink India’s emi for the adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). "For the first time in India, we have co data from vehicles on the road, and what impacts our air quality is not the laboratory emi released by these vehicles while on the road," TOI quoted Bhatt as saying. Anirudh Narla, a researcher at ICCT India, highlighted that remote sensing technology ca emissions from vehicles on a large scale under real-world conditions, helping to identify h The report also recommends finalizing and publishing the Automotive Industry Standard establish the technical parameters for remote sensing devices and equip authorities to m time. Sheila Watson, Deputy Director of the FIA Foundation, remarked, "This important researc rest of the world that CNG is not the clean alternative fuel which was promised." Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at the Centre for Sc that remote sensing as an on-road surveillance method could not only help identify the w insights into the emissions performance of different technologies and fuels. "This shows that while the CNG transition has helped cut toxic particulate emissions from early years, NOx emissions from on-road CNG vehicles without adequate controls can be next big transition to electrification to make tailpipe emissions not cleaner but zero," she

Eco-friendly agriculture must reduce farmers’ costs

The global food system is not only environmentally harmful, but also makes poverty worse in rural areas of emerging markets and developing countries. It must be turned upside down, as Sunita Narain, a leading Indian environmentalist, told D+C/E+Z in an interview. What are the main points we must focus on if we want to make sure everyone on Earth gets sufficient food of sufficiently good quality? Well, from the perspective of emerging markets and developing countries, three issues are crucial: We need an agricultural system that is good for farmers, offering good livelihoods long-term. The system must also be good for soils and the natural environment at the local level. Finally, it must be good in terms of nutrition, ensuring that all people can enjoy healthy diets. Please elaborate on these three points. First of all, the system we currently have is failing farmers. In India, they are facing a triple attack. The prices they get are very low, so masses are stuck in poverty. Food-price inflation is a hot topic in India, so the government wants to depress prices. Its response is therefore to import cheap food. As a result, farm-gate prices don’t rise, leaving the farmers worse off. At the same time, farmers are exposed to increasing – and increasingly worse – extreme weather events. Some are hit hard by crop losses. But when poor harvests increase food prices, yet more cheap food is imported. This distortion is possible due to the global trade system, which allows India to import agricultural commodities that are subsidised by other governments. This system rewards industrial-scale farming with massive inputs, and the result is that smallholders are squeezed and cannot prosper. At the same time, industrial-scale farming is harming the climate and thus compounding the extreme-weather risks. So, what needs to happen? We need to turn the global agriculture system upside down. It must become less input intensive, more rewarding and less risky for farmers. The supposedly modern farming system that you have in Europe, North America and other places is plainly unsustainable. It is harming the climate and depleting biodiversity. India is not so far at that point. EU subsidies are atrocious. You have made farmers depend on state aid, but only the largest farms really thrive. Even in Europe, smaller ones are being crowded out. Only the big farms get enough subsidies to thrive. When the EU decided to modify the system to make it less environmentally damaging, all farmers rose up in protest because they were set to lose money. The reforms were half-hearted to begin with, and now your policymakers have further slowed them down. In what sense were reforms half-hearted? Well, consider the organic sector as an example. EU policies have created a high-cost niche market for prosperous consumers. Low-income households cannot afford those goods. For farmers too, however, organic production basically means higher costs. To some extent, additional subsidies cover them, but organic farming still requires more labour and is more expensive. Pesticides are comparatively cheap if you consider how much work weeding requires. All in all, the subsidy system is still geared to maximising high-input production on large land holdings. That benefits the agrichemical industry as well as the food-processing multinationals, which like homogenous commodities. So, we need regenerative agriculture instead. Yes, we do, but the trouble is that multinationals keep hijacking terms like this. They modify their destructive patterns slightly and then claim they are now regenerative. The global food system is incredibly destructive. It is not only exacerbating the global environmental crisis, but also compounding poverty in the rural areas of emerging markets and developing countries because farms there become uncompetitive in view of heavily subsidised products from more prosperous nations. Who can make change happen? Change is happening where farmers see the benefits of taking a different approach and then opt for more sustainable practices. My impression is that this is happening mainly on subsistence farms, which are highly diversified, but hardly allow families to produce enough goods to sell, so they stay trapped in poverty. No, I don’t agree. I am thinking of things like the Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming programme. Andhra Pradesh is a state in South India, and the programme is based on science. It is designed to invest in soil capacities in order to make farms more productive. The results are excellent. Farm productivity has stayed the same, but farmers’ returns have improved. We need this kind of project to take off in many places. Eco-friendly approaches must reduce farmers’ costs and allow their financial situation to improve. What would that mean in terms of consumer choices? It may surprise you, but as an Indian environmentalist I am not advocating vegetarianism or veganism. Both are quite popular in our country which has a long tradition of vegetarianism. However, we need to consider farmers’ livelihoods. In this regard, cows are very important in India. The farmers need the milk, the dung and the meat. India is the world’s largest milk producer, but we do not have huge ranches. Typically, a farming family will have one or two cattle and 10 at most. Without these animals, they would be even poorer, so it wouldn’t help them if everyone became vegetarian in India. But the international scenario is totally different. Yes, indeed. At the global level, meat production has become very destructive. It is a driver of deforestation. Huge holdings use antibiotics not to cure, but to prevent diseases – and the result is an increase of drug-resistances, and that can make the treatment of human diseases unviable too. Ranches are using growth hormones and consuming enormous amounts of fodder, especially maize and soya. Indeed, humankind is now using more land to grow animal feed than to grow food for human beings. No doubt, high-income countries are consuming too much meat, thus setting the wrong example internationally. But let me emphasise, the question is not do we eat meat at all, but how is the meat that we eat produced. Human diets must include protein, and meat is protein rich. If you want to become vegetarian for personal reasons, that is your choice, and your government shouldn’t force it on you. What governments must do, however, is regulate agriculture businesses in ways that prevent environmental harm. The topic of what people should and should not eat is very controversial. Yes, I know. Your Green party in Germany once fared poorly in elections because it had spoken out in favour of one vegetarian day per week in company canteens. As far as I know, right-wing populists are now agitating for the right to eat meat as though that right was under threat. They deny that consuming too much meat is unhealthy, not only for an individual human being, but for the planet as a whole. We only have one planet, and we must look at diets from the eco-perspective. What is your take on sugar? I would say it is the new tobacco. Medical science shows that eating too much of it has serious health impacts, but the major food-processing industries do not want people to be aware of it. In fact, salt and fat should be seen in the same light. Consumers should be informed precisely of just how much sugar, salt and fat they can eat and at what point they start putting their health at risk. They should be told that, if they drink this large Coca-Cola bottle, that will be their sugar quota for three days, and if they have this helping of Maggi noodles along with it, that will be their salt quota for one day. Unfortunately, the lobbying power of food multinationals is great, and they oppose appropriate labelling. Therefore, people don’t get this kind of information in many countries. That is a tragedy because people do make changes once they really understand the issues. Sunita Narain is the director general of the Centre for Science and Environment, an independent think tank based in Delhi. She is also the editor-in-chief of the environmentalist magazine Down to Earth.

PM-KUSUM scheme needs recalibration

The Pradhan Mantri Kissan Urja Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyaan (PM KUSUM scheme), introduced in 2019, has a commendable objective: that of solarising agriculture in India. But in the six years since its inception, the scheme has achieved only about 30 per cent of its targets. With its deadline year – 2026 – approaching fast, will it be able to cover the remaining ground? A new report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which focuses on gathering data and information especially from the perspective of farmers on on-ground implementation of the scheme, has offered a roadmap to help PM-KUSUM strike its targets. The report, titled Implementation Challenges of the PM KUSUM Scheme: Case Studies from Selected Indian States, was released here today at a webinar organised by CSE. According to Nivit Kumar Yadav, programme director, industrial pollution and renewable energy, CSE, the scheme is divided into three components, focusing on (A) installation of mini grids on barren lands, (B) installation of off-grid solar water pumps to replace diesel water pumps, and (C) installation of on-grid solar water pumps to replace electric water pumps and installation of mini-grids for agriculture feeder solarization. Most of the implementation has taken place under component B, with Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh are among the top performing states. Components A and C have seen minimal implementation.

Review parking charges by Sept 30: CAQM to agencies

Experts and stakeholders, however, have said that the move is likely to lead to a significant increase in parking rates in the city, particularly in rush hours and high-density areas like markets and office spaces from October In a bid to encourage the use of public transport in Delhi and reduce air pollution, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Region (CAQM) has directed urban bodies in the city to “review” and “rationalise” parking fee of private vehicles by September end. The move will bring a uniform parking fee structure in the city, which will have surges based on the time of the day and the prevailing congestion in an area, according to CAQM. Experts and stakeholders, however, have said that the move is likely to lead to a significant increase in parking rates in the city, particularly in rush hours and high-density areas like markets and office spaces from October. “The commission, under Section 12 of the CAQM Act, 2021, hereby directs the urban local bodies in Delhi to comprehensively review and rationalise the parking charges for private vehicles in their respective jurisdictions and complete the exercise latest by September 30, based on the review of local area - specific integrated parking management plans and associated pricing strategies,” said CAQM said in its August 20 order shared on Thursday. This revision in parking fee needs to implemented by September 30 in Delhi and disseminated to the public widely, it added. This is the second time that CAQM has issued similar directions. In April, it had asked to rationalise the parking charges by August 30. The direction, which is expected discourage the use of private vehicles on the roads, is a part of efforts to make the city’s air cleaner by way of reducing vehicular emissions. “The ever-growing fleet of private vehicles in Delhi-NCR has been a prime contributor to vehicular emissions and that such large number of private vehicles also cause traffic congestions and jams,” CAQM said in its order. Delhi, that has the notorious distinction of being the most polluted Capital in the world, gets engulfed in toxic haze particularly at the onset of winter every year. Cleaner public transport options like the Delhi Metro or electric buses will help reduce air pollution and multiple meetings have been held from time-to-time to encourage clean public transport and hike fees for private vehicles, the order further stated. CAQM said that the last exercise of fixing parking charges was carried out several years ago. “At the same time, despite issuing directions in previous meetings, the latest of which was April 24, such an exercise had still not been carried out yet, except during stage-2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) and briefly in NDMC’s (New Delhi Municipal Corporation) jurisdiction last year,” the commission said. An MCD official said a proposal in this regard has already been prepared, however, it is yet to be cleared in the house of councillors. “The same is pending for consideration and approval of the corporation in the house.” Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said the parking pricing norms need to be implemented alongside parking management area plans, previously directed by CAQM. “All municipalities need to implement these directions at a ward-level as isolation in some commercial areas will not work. In theory, the pricing will be based on importance of the place, the time of the day and the charges should increase with duration of the parking time period,” said Roychowdhury, stating this is what needed to be defined by the municipal bodies. Amit Bhatt, managing director (India), International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) said increasing parking charges alone will not work, as Delhi needs parking area management plans too. At the same time, he said incentives for cleaner options were required. “We also need to either reduce charges for zero-emission vehicles or making parking free for them. This then incentivises a shift to cleaner fuels too,” he said.

E For Erratic: Why city's green ride is underpowered

NEW DELHI: Delhi prides itself as the electric vehicle capital of the country. Pushing the eco-friendly mode of travel in the city, Delhi govt expanded the EV infrastructure and claimed that the number of charging points increased from 4,700 to 18,000 in two years. Perhaps. But on the ground, the reality is quite different. TOI went around the city to assess the charging facilities and found that many charging stations installed by PSUs or power distribution companies, even in major locations like Connaught Place, were sadly non-functional. The six-dock charging station near the new Parliament building on Rafi Marg, which was inaugurated in July 2020 by the central govt and touted as India's first public EV charging station, was surprisingly found inoperative. "This has been defunct for months now," shrugged a parking lot worker there. "We don't even remember when it last worked. Its wires disappeared, stolen maybe. Vehicles earlier stopped here to charge but not anymore." The situation was similar in Connaught Place, where nearly all the EV charging stations were out of order, with the wires cut or the charging guns missing. "Many drivers come here to find the charging station defunct. They come because the map shows these stations as working," said a parking operator there. His colleague interjected, "Patel Nagar and Khan Market have some working charging stations." At Khan Market, while two of the charging points were working, users complained of incessant power trips and slow charging. Shockingly, the entire charging machine was missing from a station in Greater Kailash. But like many others, it was shown as functional on maps and EV charging station locator apps. Some charging docks are now used by homeless people, as garbage dumps by others. In Jan, TOI had reported about some of the non-functional charging stations in areas under the jurisdiction of New Delhi Municipal Council. Thursday's check found them still not working. A survey in June said that locating an accessible, safe and working charging station was a top anxiety trigger for 88% of EV owners. Inadequate EV infrastructure is a deterrent for switching from fuel-based vehicles to electric mobility. An expert said, "This big problem is already impacting the market. Also, a location earmarked for a charging station is often reflected in maps and apps as a functional charging station even though the machines haven't been installed there." Some experts, however, see this as a transition problem. "While the temporary non-functioning of charging stations presents challenges for EV adoption, govt has responded with several key measures to address the issue," said Archit Fursule of Climate Trends. "Initiatives include expanding the network of charging stations, implementing stricter maintenance regulations and offering incentives for infrastructure development. Additionally, industry efforts like eHUB by MG Motors and the Universal EV Charging App highlight a collaborative push towards improving accessibility and reliability." According to Moushumi Mohanty, senior programme manager (electric mobility), Centre for Science and Environment, public charging is more for a top-up rather than a full charge. "However, it is still a problem," she said. "The revised guidelines talk of mandating interoperability, which is like having a universal charger. This might solve this issue to some extent. Although defunct stations are an issue and it might impact the market for some time, in the long run, it will ultimately work." She cited how during the changeover to CNG in 1999, there were interminable queues outside CNG stations. So, she reasoned, whenever there's a tech change, there are some initial problems.

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).