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Cse In News

Shock termico indiano

Il mondo guarda all’India; se il nostro paese troverà soluzioni, con risorse limitate, saranno utili anche altrove. E’ chiaro infatti che anche qualora si riuscisse – con attività di mitigazione – a limitare il riscaldamento globale entro gli 1,5°C rispetto all’era preindustriale, le ondate di calore soprattutto nelle città sono qui per rimanere», ha detto l’urbanista Avikal Somvanshi, ricercatore dell’istituto indiano Centre for Science and Environment (Cse), presentando un recentissimo rapporto sull’evoluzione, dal 2001 a oggi, dello stress termico in sei mega-città della Federazione, secondo fonti ufficiali. (il manifesto) Su altri media Dall'aprile 2024, numerosi paesi dell'Asia stanno affrontando temperature record che hanno causato diversi decessi come India, Filippine, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malesia e Myanmar L'India, in particolare il settore orientale, ha vissuto l'aprile più caldo mai registrato con temperature che hanno superato i 45°C, raggiungendo picchi di oltre 50°C (3bmeteo) Nelle notti impossibili dell’India, dove la colonnina di mercurio sfiora i 40 gradi, i cittadini provano invano a dormire. Nell’ultima settimana il mondo intero ha vissuto — e sta ancora sperimentando — una ondata di calore su larghissima scala che potrebbe contribuire facilmente a trasformare il 2024 n… (la Repubblica) In 30 anni, il caldo estremo nelle metropoli è aumentato del 52% Andrew Pershing, vicepresidente per la scienza di Climate Central, ha definito queste ondate di calore come “disastri innaturali”, evidenziando che diventeranno sempre più comuni finché l’inquinamento da carbonio non sarà drasticamente ridotto. (Meteo Giornale) Dall’Hub di Padova, uno dei centri logistici più avanzati d’Europa, all’innovativa piattaforma di e-commerce B2B, passando per la nuova Business Unit dedicata alla sostenibilità e la speciale “Green Offer”. (Rinnovabili)

The Dark Side Of Heat: Concrete Cages, Sweltering Nights; Examining The Urban Heat Island – Analysis

Nights in India’s capital, Delhi, of late, became uncomfortably and dangerously hot, as the world’s most populous nation grappled with relentless heat. Northern India has experienced an intense summer, with one part of Delhi hitting 49.9°C (121.8°F) in late-May, marking the highest temperature ever recorded in the city. However, the intense heat did not subside even after sunset. According to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) tracking urban heat stress in Delhi, the city cools down by only 8.5°C at night. In contrast, urban outskirts see a more significant drop of 12.2°C. Scientists warn that hotter nights are a result of the climate crisis, increasing the health risks associated with heat stress. Research indicates that higher nighttime temperatures make it harder to fall asleep and reduce deep sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, both crucial for the body’s nighttime repair and refreshment. Exposure to heat waves during pregnancy may lead to adverse outcomes, such as pre-term birth, as noted in a 2019 study. Older adults may experience higher heart rates and more stress when sleeping in warmer conditions. Deaths due to mental and behavioral disorders increased during heat waves, especially among older adults, as reported by CNN quoting a 2008 Australian study. The rise in nighttime temperatures—particularly noticeable in such cities as Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, besides other metropolitan cities—is due to the urban heat island (UHI) effect. These places are much hotter than their surrounding rural areas. In a UHI, heat is generated not just from the sun, but also from the energy consumed by people, cars, buses and trains. UHIs are common in areas with high activity levels and dense populations. There are many causes for UHIs. When homes, stores and factories are built close together, UHIs can form. The materials used in these buildings often trap heat, making the areas around them warmer. ‘Waste heat’ also contributes to the UHI effect. Human activities—such as driving cars, exercising, running factories, or simply going about daily chores—consistently release energy. This energy typically escapes as heat. When a large number of people is concentrated in one area, a significant amount of heat is generated. Urban areas are highly populated. These areas are also densely built. When urban areas run out of space to expand outward, engineers construct taller buildings, resulting in skyscrapers. All this construction generates waste heat and the heat that escapes from insulation has no place to dissipate. It remains trapped in and around the buildings, contributing to the UHI effect. At night, UHIs have higher temperatures because buildings, sidewalks and parking lots prevent ground heat and pollutants from escaping into the cold night sky. This traps the heat at lower levels, making it warmer. UHIs can experience poorer air and water quality compared to their rural counterparts. The air quality in such areas is frequently compromised due to a higher presence of pollutants, which are emitted from vehicles, industries and human activities. Water quality is also adversely affected in urban heat islands. The influx of warm water from a UHI into nearby streams poses a challenge for indigenous species that are accustomed to living in cooler aquatic environments. Researchers are examining the potential contribution of UHIs to the phenomenon of global warming, which encompasses the ongoing increase in Earth’s temperature. In times of extreme heat, individuals often seek relief by turning on their fans or air-conditioning units, particularly in urban regions impacted by the presence of UHIs. Urban heat islands exert pressure on energy resources by increasing the demand for energy during summer. Power outages, commonly known as ‘rolling blackouts’, are a recurrent occurrence in UHIs. The utilization of electric fans and air conditioning systems actually adds to the overall heat of the urban heat island, exacerbating its temperature. When utility companies cannot meet the energy demands of their customers, they initiate ‘rolling blackouts’ as a measure to cope with the shortfall. During a ‘rolling blackout’, specific areas or groups of customers are intentionally and temporarily deprived of electricity for a predetermined period of time, typically on a rotational basis, in order to balance the energy supply and demand. To mitigate the adverse consequences mentioned above, experts propose that urban residents, architects and designers collaborate to minimize human activities’ impact on urban areas. One effective strategy to combat the negative effects of UHIs is the implementation of green roofs, where rooftops are covered with vegetation. Green roofs have the ability to absorb carbon dioxide, a major pollutant, while also reducing the ambient temperature of the surrounding areas. Additionally, using lighter-coloured materials for buildings can contribute to cooling effects. Light colours reflect sunlight and minimize heat absorption, as highlighted by National Geographic.

Amidst a water crisis, CSE survey unveils country’s lakes, ponds on revival route

BATHINDA: India’s waterbodies are marking a turnaround, many of those that had been severely polluted or encroached upon or had dried up over the years, are now being revived and rejuvenated through government schemes, private and community initiatives – finds a new nation-wide survey done by researchers at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The findings of the survey, captured in a book ‘Back from the Brink: Rejuvenating India’s lakes, ponds and tanks – a compendium of success stories’, was released at Delhi on Wednesday. CSE director general Sunita Narain said: “We need to relearn the art of the waterbody, of our lakes, tanks and ponds. It is an opportunity for us – we can turn around the water story of India, particularly in today’s time of climate change. But there is a lot more that needs to be done. We need to scale up our work for investing in local water systems to capture every drop of rain so that we can build local resilience against drought. In our cities, we need to revive our lakes and ponds, the sponges that will allow us to harvest the rain-flood and ensure it does not turn into wasted water. We need to protect our forests and green spaces as this is how water recharge will increase.” “It is also critical in these times of water stress to treat wastewater, recycled and reused. The ponds and tanks that we use to divert and harvest rainwater, could be used to channelise the treated sewage and, in turn, recharge groundwater”, she said. Over a period of about a year, a CSE team reviewed 250 waterbodies – created and/or restored under 22 state-level programmes and five Central schemes – in four distinct ecological regions of India: Indo-Gangetic plains, the desert, coastal plains and the Deccan plateau. Depinder S Kapur, programme director of CSE’s water programme, said: “India has 24,24,540 waterbodies, according to the country’s first census of these water resources which was published last year. Over 97 percent of these are in rural areas. These waterbodies, their catchments and their feeder channels act as critical groundwater recharge zones, control flooding, and are home to unique biodiversity.” Sushmita Sengupta, senior programme manager, water programme, CSE said: “What we have found is that political and bureaucratic-administrative will, along with community involvement, has been instrumental in successful revival of waterbodies. Some of the best restoration work has happened where district collectors or local political leaders have taken a special interest.” Lakes and waterbodies, in most cases, have become receptacles for untreated wastewater and sewage. The solution lies in treating the wastewater before it enters the waterbodies and tracking so that no faecal sludge enters the waterbody. The waterbody, catchment and its feeder channels should be treated together for rejuvenation. The actual boundaries of the catchment, waterbody and feeder channels need to be mapped. Aquifer mapping at the regional and local scales will help understand the requirements for ensuring scientific restoration for increasing groundwater level and mitigating floods. District-level administrations in India rarely have any idea about the number of waterbodies they have. Cities tend to omit encroached and silted waterbodies from the list. To plan for restoration of waterbodies, it should be mandatory for each state to identify, record and compile the total number of lakes and waterbodies within its boundaries.

Tables Turned! How Lakes Project Is Helping Recharge Groundwater

Delhi govt's project to revive lakes by using treated water has proved successful, particularly in South West district, where the groundwater has risen, according to a new nationwide survey conducted by researchers at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The survey found that the water table rose around 6 metres at Pappankalan, 4m at Nilothi and 3m at Najafgarh after artificial lakes were created in those places. The findings of the survey are captured in a book titled Back from the Brink: Rejuvenating India’s Lakes, Ponds, and Tanks – A Compendium of Success Stories, which was released at a symposium on Wednesday. The book is based on the year-long survey in which a CSE team reviewed 250 water bodies created or restored under 22 state-level programmes and five central govt schemes. CSE said that under Delhi govt’s City of Lakes project, 14-15 lakes were artificially created or encroached lakes were restored until December last year. According to the report submitted by Delhi Jal Board to the National Green Tribunal, 155 water bodies have been considered for revival under the project. At Pappankalan, the groundwater level was 21.8m below the surface level in 2019 but rose to 6m after two lakes were revived there. The groundwater level was estimated using piezometers installed at the sites. These calculate the groundwater pressure and the increase in the groundwater table over time in metres. “To ensure that lakes and waterbodies remain filled throughout the year — Delhi has just 50-odd rainy days a year — DJB connected the revived as well as the new waterbodies to sewage treatment plants wherever possible. The idea was to fill the waterbodies with treated effluent,” said CSE. According to the state govt, Delhi also produces 500 million gallons per day (MGD) or 1,893 million litres per day (MLD) of recycled water from 37 operational STPs, 21 of which is currently being wasted. This recycled water can be stored in the proposed lakes and waterbodies and further used to reduce the deficit of 200MGD (757MLD) of water faced annually by the city, CSE pointed out. Sushmita Sengupta, senior programme manager of the water programme at CSE, said, “It is a good example of water conservation. The project includes filling up the waterbodies with treated wastewater — which was getting wasted by mixing with sewage in a nearby drain. The filled-up water helps to recharge the groundwater in the nearby borewells. The piezometers (for example, those near Najafgarh and Pappan Kalan) which record the local groundwater showed an increase of 3-4 metres in just one year.” Speaking at a symposium on Wednesday, CSE director general Sunita Narain said, “It is also critical in these times of water stress not only to ensure that wastewater, or sewage, is treated but also to recycle and reuse it. It is here that the waterbodies we protect in our cities, the same ponds and tanks that we use to divert and harvest rainwater, can be used to channel the treated sewage and, in turn, recharge groundwater.”

Groundwater table rose by 3m in Nilothi, Najafgarh: Report on Delhi lakes

The report, ‘Back from the Brink: Rejuvenating India’s Lakes, Ponds, and Tanks – A Compendium of Success Stories’, looked at 250 water bodies from 22 states. The Delhi government’s lake revival project, based on recycling treated wastewater, has been successful in southwest Delhi, where the groundwater table has increased by up to 6 metres in the last three years, a new study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has found. The study, which looked at successful lake rejuvenation models across the country, found the groundwater table had increased by around 6 metres at Pappankalan, by around 4 metres at Nilothi and by 3 metres and at Najafgarh through the artificial lakes created there by the government in 2021. The report, titled “Back from the Brink: Rejuvenating India’s Lakes, Ponds, and Tanks – A Compendium of Success Stories”, looked at around 250 water bodies from 22 different states. The report said that the idea in Delhi was to fill the water bodies with treated effluents. “To ensure that lakes and water bodies remain filled throughout in Delhi, which has just 50-odd rainy days a year, DJB connected the revived and new water bodies to the sewage treatment plants wherever possible,” said the report, adding that efforts have also been made to ensure high percolation into the ground. These efforts include adding a sandy layer at the base, particularly where clay content was high. The model highlights how Delhi created lakes next to existing STPs that treat the water at multiple levels before pumping it. Two lakes have been created near the Pappankalan STP, one next to the Najafgarh STP and three near the Nilothi STP. Though a lake has also been created next to the Dwarka STP, no groundwater data was available as a piezometer was installed only recently. “The lakes have been designed so that there is effective percolation into the ground. In Dwarka, clay and kankar form the top layer up to a depth of 4 metres below ground level, followed by kankar and silt up to a depth of 68 metres below ground level. The presence of clay in the subsoil can hinder percolation of water to below the ground. DJB worked on improving the percolation property of the soil, and the bases of the lakes were rectified by addition of a sand layer,” the report added. The increase in water was assessed using piezometers installed near the lakes that measure water pressure under the ground along with the increase in groundwater table over time. The increase in the groundwater table has also recently been highlighted by the Central Groundwater Board (CGWB), which in its latest report from January 2024, revealed that the number of “safe” tehsils in Delhi had gone up between 2022 and 2023 and the number of zones classified as “over-exploited” dropped. Of Delhi’s 34 tehsils, 13 were classified as “over-exploited” in 2023, the CGWB report said, down from the 15 such tehsils recorded in 2022. The number of safe tehsils is now five, compared to four in 2022. CSE referred to Delhi government data, which said that its 37 operational STPs produce around 500 million gallons per day of water which can be used to revive more water bodies. “This recycled water can be stored in the proposed lakes and water bodies, and further used to reduce the deficit of 200 MGD of water annually faced by Delhi,” the report added. Sushmita Sengupta, senior programme manager of the water programme at CSE, said Delhi has given a good example of water conservation using simple practices. “The project includes filling water bodies with treated wastewater which was previously mixed with the nearby drain. This helps in recharging the groundwater in the nearby borewells. The piezometers near Najafgarh and Pappankalan have shown an increase of as much as 3-4 metres in one year,” she said. The government began reviving lakes across the Capital as part of its “City of Lakes” project in 2019. The DJB, in an affidavit to the National Green Tribunal, said the government was planning to revive around 155 such water bodies.

Waste burning rampant, rain fails to flush out air pollutants

Gurgaon: Intermittent showers and strong winds have failed to clean up the city’s air. In fact, it has deteriorated from ‘satisfactory’ on June 23 to ‘moderate’ on Wednesday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. While the primary reason for this has been cited by environmentalists as burning of waste in open areas, a TOI visit on Wednesday also revealed rampant burning of garbage across the city. The city’s air quality index (AQI) remained in the ‘moderate’ category on Wednesday at 165, up from Tuesday’s 113. Teri Gram station recorded an AQI of 232 on Wednesday, followed by 170 at Sector 51 and 98 at Gwalpahari. Vikas Sadan’s data was not recorded. Residents alleged that shopkeepers, garbage collectors and sanitation workers among others are found setting trash on fire in open areas. Several areas across the city have become hotspots for waste burning, which include Atlas Chowk, areas off Dwarka Expressway, Ghata, and sectors 38, 48, 55, 56, and 65. “Smoke released from burning leaves and trash contains PM10, a coarse particle that can penetrate deep into lungs. Moreover, the burning of waste on open grounds releases various pollutants into the atmosphere, such as PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide,” Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Garbage and plastic items are found burnt frequently in Udyog Vihar too, one of the big office hubs in the region. “Garbage is found burnt in Udyog Vihar mostly in the late evenings or early mornings. Massive plumes of smoke are seen in the area when people travel to their offices and return home,” said Saloni Kumar who wears a mask while commuting to Udyog Vihar. She said she has been suffering from coughing and congestion because of air pollution. “In new sectors, there is no mechanism to clean roads or maintain green belts. There is hardly any garbage disposal system in place. So, people choose the easy option — burning the waste,” said Satish Saha, a resident of Sector 88. Two months ago, MCG had shared three WhatsApp numbers — 7290097521, 7290076135, and 7290088125 — for citizens to register their complaints on waste burning and improper sanitation. HSPCB, when contacted by TOI, said they are taking action to curb waste burning in open areas. “We have asked municipal corporations to take steps to curb garbage burning incidents,” HSPCB regional officer (Gurgaon) Vijay Chaudhary said.

Digitalisation is revolutionising faecal sludge and septage management in India

Digital monitoring helps optimise collection routes, manage treatment facilities effectively and ensure compliance with environmental standards, among other benefits India has achieved a milestone of implementing more than 1,000 faecal sludge treatment plants (FSTP) but sustainaining the same remains a key issue. This suggests that faecal sludge and septage management (FSSM) cannot be restricted to creating infrastructure – it also needs an enabling environment for the system to run smoothly and efficiently. In recent years, digital monitoring in FSSM has been seen as a game changer. It has been deemed crucial for creating efficient and sustainable sanitation solutions. Incorporating technologies such as sensors, real-time data tracking and geographic information systems (GIS), municipalities can monitor the entire FSSM chain. This includes the collection, transportation, treatment and reuse / disposal processes. Digital monitoring helps optimise collection routes, manage treatment facilities effectively and ensure compliance with environmental standards. It also enables the timely identification of potential issues, such as system failures or overloads, allowing for prompt interventions and preventing environmental contamination. Overall, the implementation of digital monitoring in faecal sludge management enhances operational transparency, resource efficiency, and the overall effectiveness of sanitation practices. One key area of the process that has benefitted from digitalisation is data collection and mapping. Geographic Information System (GIS) technology is instrumental in mapping sanitation infrastructure, including containment systems and treatment facilities. The spatial data provided by GIS allows authorities to undergo effective planning. Mobile applications such as SaniTab, mWater, Google Forms, and Kobo Toolbox streamline field surveys and data collection, making the process more efficient and accurate. These tools enable field workers to collect and transmit data in real time, ensuring that the information is current and reliable. Further, the concentration of containment systems can be easily identified with the help of satellite imagery and remote sensing technologies. This capability is crucial for implementing targeted interventions, ensuring that resources are allocated to areas most in need. In desludging services, GPS tracking technology proves invaluable. A digital dashboard with GPS tracking makes real-time movement of desludging trucks possible. This enables authorities to track the efficiency of these services, identify areas with higher demand and optimise service routes for better coverage. The system needs a dedicated feature to avoid theft and security issues. In Odisha, for instance, all cesspool vehicles are equipped with GPS monitoring mechanisms and are overseen through the Smart Cities command and control centre in Bhubaneshwar. Similarly, in Wai and Sinnar in Maharashtra, an app called SaniTrack is used to monitor desludging services, setting a best practice example.Many other Indian cities have followed suit, adopting similar mechanisms to improve their FSSM services. Monitoring the performance of the treatment system is another critical area where digital tools contribute to successful FSSM. Digital sensors installed in treatment plants monitor various parameters, such as sludge and water levels, treatment efficiency and overall system performance. The real-time data generated by these sensors enable prompt responses to operational issues, ensuring that any problems are addressed quickly. Odisha has been a pioneer in adopting digital solutions for FSSM. The eastern state launched a programme called Sustainable Urban Services in a Jiffy by the Odisha Government (SUJOG) which is powered by a free, open-source platform called Digital Infrastructure for Governance, Impact and Transformation (DIGIT) developed by the eGov foundation. It enables the collection of data, allowing for gaps and areas of improvement to be identified across the sanitation value chain. Data analytics has enhanced decision-making in FSSM. The huge amount of data generated from sensors, monitoring devices and other sources can be analysed using big data techniques. This analysis provides insights into trends, patterns and potential issues, so that authorities can make more strategic and effective decisions. To make the process easier, Faecal Sludge Management Alliance (FSMA) has developed a platform called FSM Tool Box, which provides 360-degree knowledge about planning, design and implementation of FSSM ranging from technical, financial, administrative, regulatory aspects. Similarly, Athena Infonomics has developed a tool called EquiServe — a common analytical platform that decision-makers can use to reflect on the current situation, discuss and explore different service model options. Another tool called Shit Flow Diagram (SFD), which is seen as an analytical tool, helps in assessment of the sanitation situation of a town as well as support in advocacy and monitoring. Delhi-based think tank, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), has been in the frontline in preparing SFDs of many cities in India as well as the Global South, making FSSM sustainable in these places. Public awareness and engagement are also being raised through digitalisation. Different digital communication channels are used for public awareness campaigns, helping disseminate information about proper sanitation practices, the importance of regular emptying, among other things. Electronic media, podcasts, webinars, FM, social media platforms further enhance community involvement by enabling citizens to report sanitation issues, raise awareness and promote behavioural changes. Municipalities across Indian states have been doing this nicely through utilisation of local resources. A campaign called ‘MALASUR’ designed by BBC Media Action is a great example of this outreach. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of digital solutions for capacity building and advocacy, especially in the sanitation sector. With restrictions on physical gatherings and need for social distancing, the development of e-learning platforms has become crucial. These platforms enable continuous training, knowledge dissemination and advocacy, ensuring that personnel involved in FSSM have access to the latest information and skills necessary for efficient management. In recent past years, we learnt to maximise the outreach through digital platforms like Zoom, MS Teams, Moodle, Coursera, among others. CSE, for instance, is running many online short-term courses on different themes. These courses and related resource material are easily accessible on the Moodle platform. Towards equipping officials as well as to serve the purpose of knowledge dissemination, organisations created easy-to-access web-based platforms such as Menu on Un-Networked Technologies (MOUNT) and the Sanitation Capacity Building Platform (SCBP). These platforms offer comprehensive training material, case studies, research, publications etc that allows an uninterrupted learning and professional development. MOUNT is an aggregator platform divided into four categories – Onsite Sanitation System, Decentralised Wastewater Treatment, Faecal Sludge Management and In-situ treatment. The categories include numerous technologies and respective best management practices from India and Global South. This digital revolution in FSSM is not without challenges: Integration of digital solutions in any existing infrastructure requires a significant capital investment. Municipalities struggling with finances might not adopt such innovative solutions. Hacking and tracking of softwares have become common. So, there might be chances of privacy breaches and loss / theft of collected data. To get the competitive and advance data, regular technological modifications will be needed or they will be obsolete quickly. Digital tools can work better in the core area of a town and face challenges in fringe areas because of poor internet connectivity and power supply. The major challenge with municipalities is that they don’t have enough resources to operate and maintain such digital solutions. There is always uncertainty regarding who will be responsible for long-run sustainability of these systems. Experts in the field of sustainable FSSM have offered their suggestions to bridge these gaps. First, all cities with FSSM infrastructure should develop a digital dashboard for tracking and monitoring the desludging services and treatment efficiency of the FSTP. Both private and government owned desludging vehicles should be equipped with the GPS system. Second, state-level monitoring systems should track the performance of all FSTP regularly. A digital helpline number as well as online grievance redressal cell should be set up. Third, digital monitoring solutions should be incorporated at the time of planning an FSSM project and budgetary aspects of the same to be furnished. This will provide a smooth and timely installation. Fourth, the state or municipality should develop a proper mechanism for ensuring privacy and security of the data and information collected. Fifth, there should be a dedicated skilled team to operate and maintain these digital systems. They should be trained properly. And finally, municipalities can develop a mechanism for selling by-products online, so that farmers or any other needy person can raise a request digitally. Digital solutions also enable timely interventions, preventing environmental hazards and optimizing service delivery, and are pivotal in creating a sanitation system that benefits both communities and the environment. We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.

Delhi's Firefighters: Braving Flames in a Record-Breaking Summer

Indervir Singh has worked for the Delhi Fire Services for 32 years but he can't recall responding to as many fires as this summer. Temperatures in the Indian capital, home to around 20 million people, have hit record highs this year, with the mercury hitting nearly 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) on several occasions. Calls reporting fires between April and June more than doubled from a year ago to over 9,000, fire services data show. And deaths from fires more than tripled in that period, from just 10 a year ago. Many of the blazes are in Delhi's teeming old quarters, where the narrow lanes are chock-a-block with shops and homes, with webs of electricity cables and other wires hanging from poles. "I have attended to several back-to-back calls" on recent shifts, said the grey-haired Singh, 54, before he rushed to the scene of yet another blaze in his thick jacket, heavy boots and red helmet. Singh was one of over a dozen firefighters and officers interviewed by Reuters, many of whom described working in "doubly" strenuous conditions of extreme heat and numerous fires. Shifts for firefighters are 24 hours long, followed by a day of rest. Senior officers work three full-day shifts at a time and then take a day off. "Some weeks, we have to take leave just to get some sleep," said Ajay Sharma, an officer in northwestern Delhi. Fire officers say electrical failures are responsible for nearly three-quarters of the blazes this summer. With Delhi sweating through what the federal weather office says is one of its longest heat waves on record, demand for air cooling has surged. The India Meteorological Department classified nine heat wave days in Delhi this June, up sharply from the historic norm of one during the month. Scientists say the heat is being worsened by human-driven climate change. Sales of air conditioning units in Delhi have grown at a compounded annual rate of 14% between 2018 and 2023, according to analytics firm GfK. Peak-power demand surged to an all-time high on June 19, government data show. Round-the-clock use of power-intensive appliances like air conditioning units puts severe strain on ageing wiring, while improper maintenance of cables and equipment can also lead to short circuits and start fires, said DFS director Atul Garg. Rajneesh Sareen, who runs the sustainable habitat program at Delhi's Centre for Science and Environment think-tank, said the city is ill-equipped to cope. "Delhi's infrastructure was not originally built to take on the kind of extreme conditions we're seeing right now," he said. OLD DELHI FIRES Reuters accompanied Singh to the scene of a fire on a sweltering day in June. Shortly after receiving a call for help via the DFS control room, Singh's team of six firefighters jumped aboard a red fire truck. Its siren blared as it raced down the streets, with Singh using a microphone to order vehicles to make way.

As India reels under a water crisis, a CSE survey unveils some good news: the country’s lakes and ponds are on a revival route

India’s waterbodies are marking a turnaround: many of those that had been severely polluted or encroached upon or had dried up over the years, are now being revived and rejuvenated, thanks to a basket of government schemes as well as private and community initiatives – finds a new nation-wide survey done by researchers at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The findings of the survey, captured in a book titled ‘Back from the Brink: Rejuvenating India’s lakes, ponds and tanks – a compendium of success stories’, was released here today at a national symposium. Speaking at the event, CSE director general Sunita Narain said: “We need to relearn the art of the waterbody, of our lakes, tanks and ponds. It is an opportunity for us – we can turn around the water story of India, particularly in today’s time of climate change; this is what this book from CSE tells us. But there is a lot more that needs to be done. We need to scale up our work for investing in local water systems to capture every drop of rain so that we can build local resilience against drought. In our cities, we need to revive our lakes and ponds, the sponges that will allow us to harvest the rain-flood and ensure it does not turn into wasted water. We need to protect our forests and green spaces as this is how water recharge will increase.” Narain added: “It is also critical in these times of water stress not only to make sure that wastewater – sewage – is treated, but it is recycled and reused. It is here the waterbodies that we protect in our cities, the same ponds and tanks that we use to divert and harvest rainwater, could be used to channelise the treated sewage and, in turn, recharge groundwater.” The CSE survey Over a period of about a year, a CSE team reviewed 250 waterbodies – created and/or restored under 22 state-level programmes and five Central schemes – in four distinct ecological regions of India: Indo-Gangetic plains, the desert, coastal plains and the Deccan plateau. The schemes and programmes that have been covered include Mission Amrit Sarovar, AMRUT 2.0, the City of Lakes project in Delhi, and the Anaithu Grama Anna Marumalarchi Thittam (AGAMT) scheme of Tamil Nadu, among others. Out of the 250 waterbodies reviewed, about 140 stood out as best cases. Depinder S Kapur, programme director of CSE’s water programme, said: “India has 2,424,540 waterbodies, according to the country’s first census of these water resources which was published last year. Over 97 per cent of these are located in rural areas. These waterbodies, their catchments and their feeder channels act as critical groundwater recharge zones, control flooding, and are home to unique biodiversity.” He added: “The CSE survey and the resulting publication – our compendium of case studies – focuses on the lakes, ponds and tanks among these waterbodies that are used by communities. It is a documentation, a celebration of the successful revival of these waterbodies – of what has worked, what hasn’t, and what more can be done.” Sushmita Sengupta, senior programme manager, water programme, CSE and the lead writer of Back from the Brink, said: “What we have found is that political and bureaucratic-administrative will, along with community involvement, has been instrumental in successful revival of waterbodies. Some of the best restoration work has happened where district collectors or local political leaders have taken a special interest.” She added: “Among the programmes and schemes, Mission Amrit Sarovar has certainly turned the tide, while state-level projects have played a key role as well. A beginning has been made to stem the decline – but the momentum needs to be sustained. The CSE survey and our publication also proposes a set of recommendations to do just that.” What is the way ahead? Treat wastewater before it enters a waterbody: Lakes and waterbodies, in most cases, have become receptacles for untreated wastewater and sewage. The solution lies in treating the wastewater before it enters the waterbodies and tracking so that no faecal sludge enters the waterbody. Says Kapur: “The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 has the provision of recycling and reuse of the wastewater along with the rejuvenation of waterbodies. Funds under this Mission can be used effectively by all states to restore the waterbodies.” Look at every waterbody holistically: The waterbody, catchment and its feeder channels should be treated together for rejuvenation. The actual boundaries of the catchment, waterbody and feeder channels need to be mapped. Aquifer mapping at the regional and local scales will help in understanding the requirements for ensuring scientific restoration for increasing groundwater level and mitigating floods. Create a database, identify the waterbodies: City- or district-level administrations in India rarely have any idea about the number of waterbodies they have. Cities tend to omit encroached and silted waterbodies from the list. To plan for restoration of waterbodies, it should be mandatory for each state to identify, record and compile the total number of lakes and waterbodies within its boundaries. Develop a menu of technologies: This should be made available for treating wastewater and abatement of pollution in waterbodies. Ensure maintenance and monitoring: MGNREGS funds and finances under the 15th Finance Commission (FFC), for one, can be used for ensuring sustainability of the revival projects. Says Sengupta: “Gram panchayats can use a part of the FFC funds for maintaining ponds. For sustainability of any rejuvenation or restoration project, maintenance and monitoring should be made an integral part of the project—a portion of the funding should be blocked only for this.” The CSE symposium brought together a number of practitioners — waterbody managers, project proponents, initiators and drivers – who have been at the forefront of this mission to revive India’s waterbodies. Concluding the discussions, Narain noted: “We must look at lakes once again as a major source for water security, as well as a way for flood mitigation and drought management. Lakes cannot be saved if our sewage is not managed – a reinvention of sewage management system is, therefore, required, especially when it comes to urban waterbodies. We need to learn from experiences on the ground where programmes and schemes have worked, and how and why. We must learn because in this age of climate change there will be more rain – but also more floods and droughts if we do not harvest the rain.”

Increase in Groundwater Level: झीलों के रिवाइवल से मिली ग्राउंडवाटर रिचार्ज में मदद, रिसायक्लड पानी का किया गया उपयोग https://www.gnttv.com/india/story/delhi-government-project-city-of-lakes-helps-in-increasing-groundwater-level-in-treated-wastewater-coll

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) के रिसर्चर्स के किए गए एक नए राष्ट्रव्यापी सर्वेक्षण के अनुसार, उपचारित पानी (ट्रीटेड वाटर) का उपयोग करके झीलों ... https://www.gnttv.com/india/story/delhi-government-project-city-of-lakes-helps-in-increasing-groundwater-level-in-treated-wastewater-collected-in-these-water-bodies-1037229-2024-06-27

Something Fishy: Medicine Treats, Bacteria Tricks and Cycle Repeats

Ernakulam: Unlike before, 40-year-old Gopi’s mornings now begin with a grim routine: fishing out the bodies of foul-smelling fish and crabs. Puffed up like balloons, they float lifeless on the water surface. “The number of dead fishes are increasing,” says Gopi, sitting in a traditional canoe, in a shallow pond in Vypin Island in Ernakulam, Kerala. For centuries, in Ernakulam on the western coast of India, fishermen like Gopi did not need any fish feed or fish seed to secure a good catch. The moon, the sea, and gravity were enough. With the moon shining its brightest, high tides from the Arabian Sea surged inland, swelling the estuaries of an interconnected water system. Piggybacking on the high tides, a variety of fish, prawns, and nutrients travel inland. Where the mouth of the estuaries narrow, fishermen put semi-permeable wooden gates to create traditional ponds. As the water retreats back to the sea, fishermen pull down the gates to trap fish and shrimp. A traditional fish pond with a wooden gate set-up. Photo: Monika Mondal Then they wait patiently for three to four months for the young fishes to mature, while the ebb and flow of the sea’s tides keep the ponds nourished, aerated and fresh. But over the years, this zero-investment natural farming, with minimal environmental impact, has begun to falter. And along with the healthy fishes, the number of traditional fishermen like Gopi is also dwindling. Gopi is losing faith in the traditional method. He says, “Fungal and bacterial infection keeps killing the fishes.” Gopi (left) setting up a net to catch fishes. Photo: Monika Mondal Though modern medicines offer solutions to treat infections, lately that solution is backfiring. Drugs like antimicrobials (antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals) which treat diseases by attacking microbes (bacteria, virus and fungus), are not able to kill the pathogens. Microbes are ubiquitous, but not all of them lead to diseases, instead they make life possible as we know it. But when microbes are constantly exposed to antimicrobials, they can self-mutate in response to the stressful environment, and develop resistance to the antimicrobials – a process called antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Overuse, misuse and the improper disposal of drugs like antibiotics in hospitals, livestock farms, fisheries and households, has allowed AMR pathogens to proliferate to far off spaces. And with the changing climate, more farm diseases are hitting production, resulting in the need to use more antibiotics. In 2017, Kerala recognised the threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in farming (with changing climate more farm diseases hit production and need more antibiotics), and set up the Kerala Antimicrobial Resistance Strategic Action Plan (KARSAP). Kerala, where Gopi practices fishing, is one of the few states in India, (apart from Delhi and Madhya Pradesh) which has an action plan to fight against AMR. But researchers found that ponds like Gopi’s, which do not use any antibiotics, are also highly contaminated with antibiotics resistant gene microbes: these microbes are resistant to multiple classes of antibiotics, which are used to treat common infections and diseases. AMR has a domino effect, impacting every form of life. Research shows that more and more microbes around the world are becoming resistant to drugs. In 2019, directly and indirectly, 4.95 million people in 204 countries died because drugs could not treat microbial infections. Recent estimates suggest if drug resistant microbes keep mutating and infiltrating boundaries, by 2050 microbial infections will kill one person every three seconds or 10 million annually, 20% of whom would be Indians alone. Developing countries, like India, where polluting industries are expanding while waste management practices are not, are considered hot spots of AMR pathogens. India is not only the biggest consumer but also the biggest producer of antibiotics. Kerala, the pioneer in AMR management in India, has made several strides including opening India’s first AMR-smart hospital, managing the sale and availability of antibiotics, and proposing better public health care. But rampant unplanned urbanisation, improper waste disposal and existing gaps in the healthcare system, have not translated plans and policies into the successful reduction of AMR cases. In recent reports, there is an uptick in AMR related cases in the state. Researchers have pointed out that the solution lies in focusing on the relevance of the environment in the One Health approach — which according to WHO, is the interconnection amongst humans, animals, and the environment. But this approach often remains focused on human health and animals and rarely focuses on the environment and its compartments. Investigating AMR About 600 years ago, Vypin island came into being as a result of a major flood in 1341. Since then it has been a fishing village. Even today, fishing ponds appear at every other intersection of concrete roads – some are traditional like Gopi’s, some are pit ponds and some are modern aquaculture setups. Just a few kilometres away from Gopi’s pond, lives Abdulla Mohammed Hatha, a microbiologist at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT). Growing up on Vypin Island in the 1960s and 70s, Hatha watched his uncles practice the same traditional fishing which Gopi now does. But since then, fishing became unsustainable, and many fishers left. Now, Hatha has a small pit pond, where he practices, “mostly experimental and recreational fishing”. In the 1990s, Hatha began monitoring diseases in commercial fish stocks off the coast of Cochin and, in 2008, he and his PhD students started investigating traditional ponds. They found disease-causing pathogens breeding in the water. When they exposed microbes to various antimicrobials, such as antibiotics, instead of succumbing, the invisible-to-the-naked-eye microorganisms started growing around the drugs. Meaning, the pathogens had developed AMR. Over the years, he has observed “a rise in the population, diversity and resistance amongst pathogen species like Vibrio.” Vibrio pathogens live in warm coastal waters above 20 Degrees Celsius and are dangerous to both humans and nonhumans. Vibrios that infect fish can lead to skin lesions, ulcer, fin rot or systemic infections and sudden death. When vibrios enter the food chain, through infected food or water, they can also infect humans. Between January 2023 to March 2024, the well-known species Vibrio cholerae, which causes cholera, infected 824,479 and killed 5,900 people, in 31 countries across Africa, America and Asia. WHO considers cholera as an ongoing pandemic, which started in 1961 and largely affects people in Africa and Asia. Eliminating the microbes is not the solution, as they are integral for the functioning of life as we know it, but experts have suggested a simpler method: keeping the environment healthy. “The crux of the problem is the water quality,” says Hatha, who has found AMR microbes everywhere he has ever looked, from the Arctic to Antarctica. He suggests embracing the One Health approach, which recognises the health of humans, animals, and the environment as interconnected. To safeguard public health, a healthy environment must be ensured for all living beings, according to Hatha — especially for those at the bottom of the food chain: microbes. Traditional ponds and untreated water Gopi has never used antibiotics. No traditional pond does. He says, “Using antibiotics (or any medicine) in open traditional farms (where water keeps moving) is not feasible.” Because his pond is part of an estuary, using any amount of antimicrobials to treat the fish would literally mean a drop in the ocean. His best option to tackle the illnesses is to physically filter the infected fishes. “But profit remains elusive,” he explains. Gopi must now buy healthy fish seeds from the market and look after their diet. “If I spent 1000 rupees, I would make approximately 500,” he says. Earlier, laborers assisted Gopi, but not since profit dwindled. Gopi says environmental change is weakening fish immunity to fight bacteria and parasites. “Disease is a serious concern, especially during the monsoon season, when water salinity varies,” he says. Not too far away from Gopi’s farm, another farmer named Babu P.B. complains, “The nearby schools, factories, homes and hospitals all dump their waste in the water directly,” he says. India disposes over 70% of its waste untreated directly into water bodies which end up in the sea through coastal cities like Cochin. Such waste contains heavy metals and chemicals, but also antibiotics that come from treating human and animal infections, as well as the meat, poultry and seafood industries where they are used as growth promoters and to prevent diseases and increase shelf life. Also read: On Gujarat Coasts, Muslim Fishermen Feel Alienated, Suicidal and Out of Business “Disposal of inadequately managed or untreated waste (effluent), from antibiotic manufacturing units, farms, households and healthcare systems, containing AMR-causing determinants can lead them to reach larger as well as surface water bodies like rivers, lakes, ponds,” says Rajeshwari Sinha, Programme Manager of the Sustainable Food Systems Unit at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a public interest research organisation, in an email to The Wire. “Water, a key component of the environment, can be both a source and a sink of AMR determinants,” she continues. Research has found that water can act as a “gene exchange” medium that transports microbes across otherwise disconnected lands and habitats. Shaffi Fazaludeen Koya, research fellow with the Boston University School of Public Health, adds: “If we really regulate the non-human health sector and use antibiotics appropriately in the meat industry, poultry, then it can slow down resistance, and probably reduce the burden of resistance.” Disease burden or the burden of disease refers to the intensity or severity of the disease and its possible impact on daily life. The burden of resistance, in turn, means the impact of antibiotic resistance on peoples’ lives. Koya’s comment therefore means that managing the non-human health sector can also lead to a reduction in treatment failures in humans. What doesn’t kill them makes them stronger When microbes are repeatedly exposed to antibiotics, their first response is not to die, but to fight. Bacteria can unleash a defense mechanism by mutating its genes—part of its DNA which performs a particular task. Through genetic mutation, bacteria can develop defenses against antibiotics, rendering them ineffective and allowing the bacteria to proliferate. In a true sense, for microbes, what does not kill them makes them stronger. Unlike humans, who transfer genetic information from parents to offspring, or “vertically,” microorganisms can mutate and pass genetic information both vertically and horizontally, meaning they pass it not only to their offsprings, but also to their neighbors and to other species of microbes. All of this—from a microbe being exposed to an antibiotic, to adapting and sharing genetic information—can happen in a few minutes. For example, strains of E. coli bacteria which can lead to many diseases in humans from food poisoning to sepsis and meningitis, can reproduce every 20 minutes, passing on genetic information from one generation to the next. For a similar response, humans may take tens of years or generations. “This is the natural way for bacteria to gain resistance because it has to survive. It is an evolutionary process. But our human interventions have enhanced this process,” says Koya from Boston University. Once a resistant gene comes into the environment, it can jump from animal to human pathogens and vice versa. Meaning, there are no geographical or biological boundaries to the spread of AMR. The movement of animals, birds and humans is one way AMR spreads. For example, the longest migratory bird flight is by the Arctic tern, which flies between the Arctic and Antarctica—about 20,000 miles each year or the equivalent of three round trips to the earth and moon in its 30-year lifespan. And scientists have found drug resistant microbes in its gut. Tracking 12 of these birds, researchers— including microbiologist Hatha from CUSAT—also discovered that they made 166 stopovers along their journey. Upon testing 17 antibiotics, they found the birds were resistant to all of them. A separate study found several genes of resistant microbes at the north and south poles. This is why experts regard AMR as a One Health issue, wherein an unhealthy environment unleashes a domino effect of reactions from the smallest microbes to the biggest mammals, to all parts of the planet. What is the ‘Kerala model’? Kerala, the state where Gopi fished since childhood, has implemented India’s most successful AMR control program, according to studies and experts. In 2018, it launched the Kerala Antimicrobial Resistance Strategic Action Plan, which includes stewardship programs for medical staff, awareness campaigns for citizens and advocacy for reduced antibiotic usage.

Record heat, surging fires push Delhi’s firefighters to the brink

Indervir Singh has worked for the Delhi Fire Services for 32 years but he can’t recall responding to as many fires as this summer. Temperatures in the Indian capital, home to around 20 million people, have hit record highs this year, with the mercury hitting nearly 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) on several occasions. Calls reporting fires between April and June more than doubled from a year ago to over 9,000, fire services data show. And deaths from fires more than tripled in that period, from just 10 a year ago. Many of the blazes are in Delhi’s teeming old quarters, where the narrow lanes are chock-a-block with shops and homes, with webs of electricity cables and other wires hanging from poles. “I have attended to several back-to-back calls” on recent shifts, said the grey-haired Singh, 54, before he rushed to the scene of yet another blaze in his thick jacket, heavy boots and red helmet. Singh was one of over a dozen firefighters and officers interviewed by Reuters, many of whom described working in “doubly” strenuous conditions of extreme heat and numerous fires. Shifts for firefighters are 24 hours long, followed by a day of rest. Senior officers work three full-day shifts at a time and then take a day off. “Some weeks, we have to take leave just to get some sleep,” said Ajay Sharma, an officer in northwestern Delhi. Fire officers say electrical failures are responsible for nearly three-quarters of the blazes this summer. With Delhi sweating through what the federal weather office says is one of its longest heat waves on record, demand for air cooling has surged. The India Meteorological Department classified nine heat wave days in Delhi this June, up sharply from the historic norm of one during the month. Scientists say the heat is being worsened by human-driven climate change. Sales of air conditioning units in Delhi have grown at a compounded annual rate of 14% between 2018 and 2023, according to analytics firm GfK. Peak-power demand surged to an all-time high on June 19, government data show. Round-the-clock use of power-intensive appliances like air conditioning units puts severe strain on ageing wiring, while improper maintenance of cables and equipment can also lead to short circuits and start fires, said DFS director Atul Garg. Rajneesh Sareen, who runs the sustainable habitat program at Delhi’s Centre for Science and Environment think-tank, said the city is ill-equipped to cope. “Delhi’s infrastructure was not originally built to take on the kind of extreme conditions we’re seeing right now,” he said.

Groundwater table rose by 3m in Nilothi, Najafgarh: Report on Delhi lakes

The Delhi government’s lake revival project, based on recycling treated wastewater, has been successful in southwest Delhi, where the groundwater table has increased by up to 6 metres in the last three years, a new study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has found. The study, which looked at successful lake rejuvenation models across the country, found the groundwater table had increased by around 6 metres at Pappankalan, by around 4 metres at Nilothi and by 3 metres and at Najafgarh through the artificial lakes created there by the government in 2021. The report, titled “Back from the Brink: Rejuvenating India’s Lakes, Ponds, and Tanks – A Compendium of Success Stories”, looked at around 250 water bodies from 22 different states. The report said that the idea in Delhi was to fill the water bodies with treated effluents. “To ensure that lakes and water bodies remain filled throughout in Delhi, which has just 50-odd rainy days a year, DJB connected the revived and new water bodies to the sewage treatment plants wherever possible,” said the report, adding that efforts have also been made to ensure high percolation into the ground. These efforts include adding a sandy layer at the base, particularly where clay content was high. The model highlights how Delhi created lakes next to existing STPs that treat the water at multiple levels before pumping it. Two lakes have been created near the Pappankalan STP, one next to the Najafgarh STP and three near the Nilothi STP. Though a lake has also been created next to the Dwarka STP, no groundwater data was available as a piezometer was installed only recently. “The lakes have been designed so that there is effective percolation into the ground. In Dwarka, clay and kankar form the top layer up to a depth of 4 metres below ground level, followed by kankar and silt up to a depth of 68 metres below ground level. The presence of clay in the subsoil can hinder percolation of water to below the ground. DJB worked on improving the percolation property of the soil, and the bases of the lakes were rectified by addition of a sand layer,” the report added.

Inter-City Buses Entering Capital To Switch To Cleaner Fuels By Year-End

Inter-city buses from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh coming to Delhi-NCR will switch to electric or CNG or BS VI mode by year-end to reduce pollution. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the national capital region and adjoining areas has fixed deadlines for transition of inter-city buses of the five states or UTs operated by state govt. CAQM said buses operated by state PSUs and private entities will also have to switch to cleaner fuels. The move is aimed at reducing vehicular pollution, among the major sources of air pollution. According to source apportionment study carried out by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) in 2018, the contribution of transport to PM2.5 in Delhi’s air is 39% and NCR’s air is 13%. Transport contributes 19% to Delhi’s PM10 and 7% to NCR’s PM10. Due to concerns of highly polluting inter-city buses to Delhi from other states, Delhi govt in Jan last year requested all the states/ UTs to work towards migration towards a cleaner service. “It emerged during a meeting with these five states or UTs that transition to only CNG/ EV buses by these states will take a much longer time. It became necessary to prioritise replacing older BS-lll/ IV inter-city diesel buses running from these states to Delhi-NCR with BS-VI diesel compliant buses and action was initiated in this direction towards appropriate replacement of such buses,” CAQM said. In a meeting on April 5, the commission fixed the deadline for transition to cleaner fuels. Out of 541 requirements of inter-city buses from Uttarakhand to Delhi-NCR, 160 EV/ CNG/ BS-VI diesel buses are running now and 379 buses have to make the transition. 190 buses have been targeted for transition by Dec 31, 2024, and the remaining by March 31, 2025. The deadline for inter-city buses from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to switch to cleaner fuels is Dec 31, 2024. The deadline for buses from Jammu and Kashmir for complete transition is Sept 30, 2024. “Apart from the bus services operated by state govt, inter-city bus services being operated by the state PSUs and private entities have to switch to electric or CNG or BS VI-complaint. Bus services operating under the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) licence regime are, however, not to be covered in the ambit of these guidelines,” CAQM said in an order dated June 14. It added that transport and traffic departments of Delhi govt, NCR states and these five states and Union Territories, will ensure strict compliance through regular monitoring of the field level implementation, including for bus services being operated by the state PSUs and other private entities. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, said: “This is a very important intervention. This strategy, if scaled up, can be a win-win from the perspective of scaling up public transport connectivity in the region and reducing emissions from mass commuting. Upscaled inter-city bus services based on clean fuel and technology and preferably on battery technology to eliminate tailpipe emissions from the heavy-duty bus fleet, can contribute substantially towards controlling transport related emissions in the region and also in the pollution hotspots around interstate bus terminals like Anand Vihar.”

IEA calls for next national climate plans to target coal phase-down

Governments should promise in their next round of climate plans, due by early next year, not to build any new coal-fired power stations and to shut down existing ones early, the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has said. Speaking on Monday at an old London coal power plant-turned-shopping centre, IEA head Fatih Birol said he would be “very happy” to see new NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) that “include no new unabated coal and also early retirements of existing coal”. In 2021, the Glasgow Climate Pact, agreed at the COP26 UN climate summit, called on countries for the first time to accelerate efforts “towards the phase-down of unabated coal power”. “Unabated” means power produced using coal without any technology to capture, store or use the planet-heating carbon dioxide emitted during the process. Birol, a Turkish energy analyst, said that stopping coal-plant construction was “as our North American colleagues would say, a no-brainer”. Yet, he added, while “the appetite to build new coal plants is in a dying process, some countries still do it”. He singled out China’s plans to build 50 gigawatts (GW) of new coal plants. Made with Flourish Shutting down existing coal plants, particularly young ones in Asia, is more difficult because the companies that have built and operate them would lose money, Birol noted. There is almost $1 trillion of capital to be recovered from existing coal plants, “so who is going to pay for this?” he asked, calling it “a key issue”. Birol praised the Just Energy Transition Partnerships that have been set up between wealthy countries and several coal-reliant emerging economies like South Africa and Indonesia to help address the problem. He added that “there are some countries in Asia who can, in my view, afford to retire their coal plants earlier”, without mentioning which. Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof announced at the event organised by the Powering Past Coal Alliance, which includes 60 countries, that Malaysia aims to reduce its coal-fired power plants by half by 2035 and retire all of them by 2044. It will also tackle social and economic challenges through reskilling programmes for workers and promoting renewable energy adoption, he added. Speaking later at London’s defunct Battersea power station, Indonesia’s deputy minister for maritime affairs and investment, Rachmat Kaimuddin, explained some of the challenges his country faces in phasing out coal. Kaimuddin (right) speaks alongside Germany’s climate envoy Jennifer Morgan (centre) in London on June 24, 2024. (Photo: Powering Past Coal Alliance) After China and India, Indonesia has the world’s biggest pipeline of new coal power plants under construction. Kaimuddin said the state energy company would not build any more but added that cancelling existing contracts is “very, very difficult” unless the company constructing the plant wants to pull out – which none have yet. In addition, shutting down existing power power plants is expensive, he said, because many coal power plants have “take or pay” contracts signed in the 1990s under which the government pays them whether their electricity is required or not. Another concern is that the Southeast Asian nation does not want to lose its energy security in the switch to renewables, Kaimuddin noted. Indonesia currently mines domestically most of the coal it uses. “We’re trying to partner with other people to try to build [a] renewable supply chain in the country,” he said. Millions of people in Indonesia work in the coal industry, he added, so a shift towards clean energy will need to include new jobs for them. “It doesn’t have to be green jobs – it has to be jobs, right?” he said. Five things we learned from the UN’s climate mega-poll Singapore’s climate ambassador Ravi Menon told the same event that the economies of China, India and Indonesia are growing and so are their energy needs, meaning that renewables have to be rolled out rapidly to meet demand. Energy storage is also required to smooth intermittent supply from solar and wind, while electricity transmission infrastructure, including power lines, is needed to transport power from solar and wind farms to cities that account for a large share of consumption. Both Kaimuddin and Menon said carbon credits should be used to offset losses for the owners of coal plants that are shut down early. “Retiring [plants] definitely will destroy financial value and… and we also need a better way to compensate them,” said Kaimuddin. The event’s focus on coal raised concerns among some campaigners. Avantika Goswami, climate lead at the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment, told Climate Home that “singling out coal” in the NDCs, rather than including fossil fuels more broadly, “equates to giving a free pass to oil and gas-dependent countries, many of whom are wealthy”. It could penalise many developing countries, where coal is a cheap source of fuel and energy needs are still growing, she warned. “A global climate policy that allows unfettered use of oil and gas – which together account for 55% of fossil fuel emissions – is incomplete and inequitable,” she added. (Reporting by Joe Lo; editing by Megan Rowling) This story was updated after publication to include comment from Avantika Goswami at the CSE.