• Director General Office

Ghana: 2024 World Environmental Day observed with call for land, ecosystem restoration

The focus of the 2024 World Environment Day was on “land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience,” with the slogan: “Our Land, Our Future. We are #GenerationRestoration.” This year’s celebration was the 52nd since the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment was held in 1972 in Sweden. The celebration was also a collective call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all around the world, which is critical to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). World Environment Day 2024 happened at a time, when the world’s ecosystems are being ravaged at an alarming rate with billions of hectares of land degraded. This is said to be affecting almost half of the global population and thereby threatening half of global GDP. Rural communities, small holder farmers and the extremely poor are the hardest hit. The concern of UNEP’s Chief The Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Ms. Inger Andersen, described the situation as a period when the world was facing “a worrying intensification of the triple planetary crisis: the crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature and biodiversity loss and crisis of pollution and waste.” In a press statement issued on Tuesday, June 4 ahead of the international celebration of the Day, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Ms. Inger emphasised that land restoration could reverse the creeping tide of land degradation, drought and desertification. “Every dollar invested in restoration can enhance ecosystem services,” she said, adding, “Restoration is crucial because it boosts livelihoods, lowers poverty and builds resilience to extreme weather. It also increases carbon storage and slows climate change.” Land restoration refers to the process of halting degradation or rehabilitating degraded land, typically through activities like reforestation, soil conservation, and the protection of natural processes. It aims to enhance biodiversity, restore ecosystem services, and mitigate climate change impacts. The NDCs and status of some national restoration efforts Currently, nations including Ghana are working hard to implement their defined climate actions geared towards comprehensive green growth and improved resilience of infrastructure and services. These are known as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Climate Agreement of December 2015. Subsequently, nations were expected to revise their NDCs to make them more action and results oriented. In 2020, Ghana’s NDCs were updated under the leadership of the Acting Director of the Climate Change Unit of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Daniel Benefo, and his team of experts. According to Dr. Benefo, with the updated NDC, Ghana is implementing nine unconditional actions that would result in 64 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions (MtCO2e) reductions by 2030. The actions include activities in the agricultural and forestry sub-sectors. “Therefore, the country needs to invest in green technology to create jobs, boost economic growth and cut emissions to contribute to addressing global warming,” he said in a telephone interview. These efforts, in a way, will also prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems, which is the agenda of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, launched in July 2021 to end in 2030. Obviously, there has never been a more appropriate time to revive damaged ecosystems than now. It can help to end poverty, combat climate change, and prevent a mass extinction. It is worthy of note that in addressing ecosystem degradation, land degradation is addressed simultaneously. Actually, the two go hand in hand and so is referred to as landscape restoration, since forests, wildlife, water bodies and the activities that go on in and round them are all on land. In the light of this, some commendable efforts by government and civil society to improve the health of the landscape are worthy of mention. These include the Ghana REDD+ Strategy 2016-2035, which is meant to serve as a guide and framework for pursuing a broad set of actions to tackle deforestation and forest degradation at the landscape level. Though its activities, Ghana has become the second African country to receive payments from a World Bank Trust Fund for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. The World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) paid Ghana $4,862,280 million for reducing 972,456 tons of carbon emissions for the first monitoring period under the programme from June to December 2019. The country is eligible to receive up to $50 million for 10 million tons of carbon emissions reduced by the end of 2024. However, some concerned individuals are of the view that, unless drastic measures are put in place to check the onslaught of illegal mining in particular, the country will be doomed come the end of this year. Then, there is the Northern Restoration Initiative by civil society in collaboration with public institutions. It seeks to effectively increase tree cover, restore land health and community resilience in Northern Ghana. The status of this initiative is yet to be ascertained. Legislation wise, the Lands Commission Act 2008, (Act 767), the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act 2016 (Act 925) and the Lands Act 2020 (Act 1036) have provisions that are intended to promote the judicious use of land by the society, and ensure that land use is in accordance with sustainable management principles and the maintenance of a sound eco-system. The provisions are excellent and ongoing implementation would eventually result in a sector wide turnaround that will impact positively on all the other sectors of the nation’s economy. But challenges including indiscipline in both the traditional and formal set ups, are impeding progress. Some commemorative declarations Still on the 2024 World Environment Day, Sunita Narain of the India based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) saw this year’s celebration as a reminder that “in this age of climate, risk needs a new narrative”, because as extreme weather events batter nations, they have huge implications for development programmes and place additional strain on government resources. An example is the displacement of over 40,000 residents around the lower parts of the Volta Region, portions of Eastern and Greater Accra Regions following last year’s spillage of the Akosombo Dam in Ghana. The dam had accumulated huge volumes of water due to heavy rains necessitating the spillage. Homes were submerged, livelihoods disappeared and damaged property run into millions of cedis. While the floods generally affected all populations, children and women were impacted the most. Ms. Narain specifically charged the next Indian government to recognize that the imperative of development is about scale, speed and imagination, which takes into account the need to do development differently. “In my view… the government needs to rework and re-engineer development so that it is inclusive, affordable and sustainable.” Her call is applicable to governments of all developing nations and requires reimagining the way work is done in every sphere from the supply of clean water, to access to energy that is clean and affordable. “This,” Ms..Narian noted, “will require changes in design and then in delivery. We need a new development paradigm that can work for the Planet and for every last person. This, then, is where we need the focus and attention of the new or old-new government.” Meanwhile, to commemorate the day, the Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND) has declared its dedication to restoring the planet through initiatives like the “Ensonyameye Forest Restoration Project” at Ada Wasakuse. In a telephone interview, SYND’s Vice Executive Coordinator, Solomon Yamoah, appealed to all partners and stakeholders “to work together to create a sustainable future and a healthy environment for all.”

• Urban Lab

https://theleaflet.in/blowing-hot-and-hotter-or-learning-to-live-with-the-heat/

nstead of fuming over the government’s failure to cut carbon emissions in the false belief that we can stop climate change-fueled heatwaves, we need to face the facts and learn to live with them, writes Avikal Somvanshi. — HEATWAVE alerts were a hot topic this election season despite not being on any political party’s agenda. They competed with election banter and frequently made it to top news listings. Not only were they used as excuses to justify many failed election rallies but they are also being blamed for low voter turnouts. It can also be argued that heatwaves might have been more of a deciding factor than other kinds of waves in many constituencies by influencing who voted or, more importantly, who did not vote. Against this subversion of democracy by the sun’s meddling, the Election Commission of India (ECI)’s sole weapon has been stocking electrolytes and water at polling stations, but is that enough? The last five general elections have taken place during summers with heatwaves endangering the wellbeing of voters. This can easily be fixed by shifting the elections to cooler seasons. Policy responses tend to confuse heatwaves with climate change. But the adverse impacts of heatwaves on living conditions in the country are much bigger than the elections. In fact, there is overwhelming scientific consensus that heatwaves will keep worsening each year whether elections are held or not. So what is being done to deal with this apocalyptic dance of the sun? The media and public tend to confuse heatwaves with climate change. Therefore, the default government response to public outcry is that they are cutting carbon emissions, installing rooftop solar panels, adopting ‘green’ technologies, incentivising electric mobility and so on. But these measures are needed to keep global temperatures between 1.5°C and 2.5°C above the pre-industrial levels and avert rapid climate change. They are not going to be of much help in stopping heatwaves that have already become a summer fixture or even shelter the public from the sun’s wrath. In fact, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Working Group-I, Sixth Assessment Report notes that it is almost certain that the frequency and intensity of heat extremes and duration of heatwaves have increased since 1950 and they will keep increasing even if global warming is stabilised at 1.5°C. Also read: India’s challenges towards achieving net-zero goals While we are on the subject, it must be noted that it is rapidly becoming clear that the world has missed the 1.5°C bus. In simpler terms, the climate has already changed enough that these heatwaves have become the new normal. So the question that should now be asked is: What can be done to adapt to heatwaves? Let us start by first understanding what is happening on the ground. The unbearable hotness of appearing cool Summers in India have always been hot. Anyone who has grown up in the plains does not even sweat when the mercury crosses 40°C each summer. In fact, 40°C is considered so normal in the plains that IMD’s criteria for declaring heatwaves is the daily maximum temperature crossing 45°C on two consecutive days. But today’s 40°C somehow feels much less bearable than the 40°C summers of earlier, even the 1990s. This additional discomfort is fuelled not just by changing climate but equally by changing cityscapes, architecture and lifestyles. Let us start with lifestyle changes. Traditional local practices that helped people survive the summer have been discarded in favour of ‘cool’ lifestyles copied from elsewhere. We no longer dress in clothes our ancestors figured out work best for the local climate nor do we eat the foods they painstakingly developed to help our body deal with the heat uptick. For example, we know wear polyester suits instead of cotton kurtas and drink Coke instead of chaach (buttermilk) in places such as Rajasthan. Further, air conditioning has spoiled our perception of thermal comfort. Any space warmer than 24°C is perceived to be uncomfortable. People no longer like to sweat outside their climate-controlled gyms. The very perception of sweat has changed from a biological response to heat into something dirty to be avoided at all costs. The climate has already changed enough that these heatwaves have become the new normal. Certainly, we used to be more mentally and physically accommodating of summer heat in the 1990s than we are today. Not only have we adopted completely unsuitable lifestyles, but we have also changed the nature of our buildings to satisfy our desire to appear ‘developed’. No longer do we live and work in structures with two-foot-thick walls made of mud and stone. We look down upon such structures and feel proud to have moved on from them. Even the standard nine-inch-thick brick walls have become rare in modern construction. Also read: Unregulated tourist influx: Kashmir dreads the final straw that will break the Himalayas’ back These heavy constructions used to soften the impact of the sun, keeping the indoors cooler without heating up the outdoors. Traditional architectural wisdom also used to pack our buildings with many more features such as chhajja (sunshade) and jali (lattice window) that helped keep the occupants naturally comfortable. Today’s paper-thin glossy construction style is more a heat magnet than a shelter from the sun. Nowadays, indoors get much hotter unless mechanically cooled. The systematic imposition of pucca construction without adopting or adapting traditional passive cooling wisdom and obsession with glass façades has only amplified heat stress. This change is also reflected in our cities. Big or small, all cities have seen tremendous expansion and concretisation in the last two to three decades. More and more land area is being built upon each year and the population density in existing urban centres is also on the rise. This increased built-up area and loss of vegetation means more heat is being trapped than being dissipated within the cities. As a result, daytime ambient temperatures inside cities are observed to be 2–5°C higher than their neighbouring rural spaces. Nighttime temperature differences are found to be even more pronounced. This phenomenon is called the urban heat island effect and is much stronger now than it ever was. Adding fuel to fire Moreover, the sun is not the only source of heat in the cities. Millions of cars, buildings and factories are generating tonnes of heat every hour as they burn fuel and consume electricity. This waste heat is mindlessly dumped into the city air in the form of exhaust. This is air-frying the cities, especially at night. Nowadays, nighttime temperatures in Delhi can remain as high as 35°C during heatwaves. Yet another heat source is humidity. Indian cities are becoming more humid and the humid season is starting much earlier in the plains than it used to. While the reasons for this are still a meteorological mystery, its impact can already be felt. The combination of high heat and humidity can compromise the human body’s main cooling mechanism: sweating. The evaporation of sweat from the skin cools our bodies, but higher humidity levels limit this natural cooling. As a result, people can suffer heat stress and illness, and the consequences can be fatal, even at much lower ambient temperatures. Traditional local practices that helped people survive the summer have been discarded in favour of ‘cool’ lifestyles. To sum up, the weather station temperature observation might read 40°C but people are exposed to much more heat and are much less able to handle the heat. This pincer movement of increasing exposure and decreasing adaptability is totally unaccounted for in our official heat action planning, which is concerning. Can the fire burn down the stove itself? Climate scientists are clear about the increase in frequency and duration of heatwaves, but the current understanding of their long-term impacts is limited. Especially understudied is the impact these heatwaves will have on various infrastructure systems in the Indian context. For instance, it is well known that surface water availability reduces in the summer. But during heatwaves, not only does surface water become even more scarce, it becomes much hotter as well. This has serious implications on not just drinking and sanitation water infrastructure but also on electricity generation, which is a critical element of all cooling solutions devised by governments. Also read: Photo essay: The coast, or what is left of it The magnitude and cascading impact of this threat has not yet been computed in India or anywhere else, but there are ample lived experiences to fall back upon. Let us look at electricity to get an idea. Studies show that higher air temperatures reduce fuel burning efficiency— high temperature causes lower atmospheric pressure which in turn lowers oxygen concentration that is needed for combustion. This affects the efficiency of turbines, boilers and gensets. Therefore, all fossil fuel-based energy generation plants suffer a drop in the efficiency of their turbines and boilers when the difference between ambient temperature and combustion temperature decreases during a heatwave. Even geothermal-based power plants suffer similarly. For nuclear power plants, power output can decrease by more than 2 percent per 1°C rise in ambient air temperature due to physical constraints it puts on the cooling systems. Heatwaves can also affect the generation capacity of hydroelectric and solar energy systems. Hydropower generation may be decreased due to increased evaporation from water bodies which leads to lower availability of water to generate power. This effect may be amplified during a dry season or where water levels are otherwise low. Photovoltaic generation capacity starts to fall as ambient temperatures rise above 25°C. European studies have found that for every 1°C rise in temperature, the efficiency of solar cells drops by 0.4 to 0.5 percent in relative terms. Heatwaves do not only warm up the air. Higher water temperatures create cooling constraints and affect electricity generation from all sources— fossil fuels, geothermal, biomass and nuclear power. The weather station temperature observation might read 40°C but people are both exposed to much more heat and are much less able to handle the heat. All thermal power plants need an enormous volume of water to function. They withdraw this from nearby water bodies and return it back to them usually at higher temperatures. If the temperature of the water in the water bodies is higher than a certain threshold, then the water cannot be used for cooling purposes in the power plant. Therefore, electricity produced per unit of fuel consumed is lowered if high-temperature conditions persist. In nuclear power plants, it is estimated that there is a 1 percent efficiency loss for every 5°C rise in water temperature. For instance, during the 2003 European heatwave, temperature in rivers rose so much that France had to lower its electricity generating capacity by 4,000 megawatts, the equivalent of four nuclear power stations. Even last summer during the heatwaves, French nuclear plants had to cut generation as river water got too hot to use. Melting grids Grid systems obtain high-voltage electricity from power plants and transmit it to neighbouring, distant or cross-border substations, where the voltage is methodically lowered for distribution to customers. In India, the transmission and distribution of electricity are done mainly by overhead systems. Therefore, high ambient temperatures can have large adverse impacts. Transmission and distribution losses are currently estimated to increase at 1 percent for every 3 °C rise in temperature. Also read: Climate education in India: Falling behind, looking ahead Heat can also impact the distribution transformers. If a power plant fails, there are alternative solutions to cover the demand, but alternative grid routes are not usually available. For instance, during the 2006 California heat wave 1,150 distribution line transformers failed to cool down and stopped operating, leaving about a million people without power. Climate scientists are clear about the increase in frequency and duration of heatwaves, but the current understanding of their long-term impacts is limited. Similarly, in India, during the heatwave of 2012, the breakdown of a series of distribution transformers plunged more than half of the country into darkness for multiple days. This blackout was partly due to the direct impact of heat on the transformers and partly due to heatwave-induced increased demand that was 9 percent higher than supply. Selling electricity like hot cakes According to the Grid Controller of India, at temperatures above 30°C aggregate, electricity demand in India increases by 11 percent or more compared to temperatures of 21–24°C. This demand is primarily fuelled by the cooling needs of the people and partly by the water pumping needs of parched farmlands. An increasing number of households and offices are adopting air-conditioning as their primary mode for space cooling, which is the most energy-intensive means of cooling. Electricity demand tends to increase rapidly from the third and fourth days of consecutive hot days, as air conditioners increase output to manage the accumulating heat in buildings. According to the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), about 60 percent of the peak electricity demand in cities during heatwaves can be attributed to air conditioning. Since cities and buildings are not cooling down even after sunset, thanks to waste heat and heat-trapping architecture, people are actively using air conditioning at night to enable sound sleep. It has been observed in Delhi and other metros that peak energy demand shifts to midnight during summers and specifically during heatwaves. This trend is problematic as it undermines efforts to use solar energy, especially rooftop solar systems, to meet domestic electricity needs during summer. Differential heat treatment It must be noted that even though a relatively small proportion of the urban population (about 5–10 percent of households) currently owns air conditioners, they manage to dominate the peak electricity demand. Therefore, this is also an equity challenge in India. Heatwaves limit availability while increasing demand for critical resources like water and electricity which can exacerbate the deficit to the point of system failure. Further, the waste heat from domestic air conditioning, which is generally dumped in the balcony or back alley, is also altering the micro-climate of cities by thermally polluting spaces that would otherwise have naturally cooled down after sunset. This thermal pollution directly affects the poor as hot exhaust from posh neighbourhoods has replaced the cool night breeze on their roofs and windows. Also read: Citizens’ fight to restore Goa’s ecology: Revitalising agriculture in mining-affected areas Moreover, due to their relative powerlessness in India’s democratic setup, poor neighbourhoods are subject to more frequent power outages as part of the state’s resource rationing. Therefore, they are unable to use ACs even if they manage to install them in their homes. The infernal feedback loop Heat stress is a cyclic problem. Heatwaves fuel demand for air conditioning, which in turn further heats up the planet in general (carbon emissions for electricity generation) and urban neighbourhoods in particular (urban heat islands and waste heat from human activities). A European study found that waste heat generated by a city’s worth of air conditioners during a heatwave can by itself raise the outdoor temperature by more than 2°C. To make things even more complicated, heatwaves also impede our ability to generate and distribute electricity, introducing equity and resource management challenges. The cascading impact of the aforementioned realities will be disastrous in multiple ways. The sheer scale of energy demand combined with the stunting of electricity generation and supply during summer can lead to serious energy and public health crises at regional and global levels. Studies have shown that heatwave-induced blackouts are becoming increasingly frequent and these tend to amplify mortality and morbidity risk for the public. Under blackout conditions, indoor heat exposures rise, particularly dangerous for individuals who would otherwise have access to air conditioning. The insignificance of lukewarm policies It is a major challenge to find solutions that help build systems for cities and citizens to adapt to this new reality. Current policies are sadly nowhere close to addressing this fire-breathing monster. On the energy supply side, the Union government does not have any climate resiliency plan for its electricity sector. The Central Electricity Authority covers heatwaves under its Disaster Management Plan for the Power Sector, but only to the extent of advising distribution companies to make provisions for additional peak demand. It does not say anything substantive on the challenges or strategy for generating and distributing electricity during a heatwave. On the demand side, the policy focus has remained limited to reducing the cost of energy-efficient air conditioners, ignoring the fact that the commutative load of these will gobble up the limited electricity supply to the detriment of several other sectors while making the outdoors even hotter. Also read: Lithium extraction: Economy plus one, environment minus one On the public health front, almost all state governments have made Heat Action Plans (HAPs) in the last few years. These Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-style warnings and emergency response plans are more fluff than concrete. The most potent action listed in these plans is to increase the public availability of electrolytes and drinking water during a heatwave. Heatwaves fuel demand for air conditioning, which in turn further heats up the planet in general and urban neighbourhoods in particular. HAPs are also totally blank on how to build infrastructure so that cities and homes do not heat up beyond the ambient temperature. Some plans do talk about increasing green cover as their long-term strategy but without dwelling on the kind of greenery needed to shield from the heat. The current practice of chopping down dense tree covers in city centres and then compensating for them by planting palm trees and grass lawns in remote suburban parks will not make cities heat-resilient. The fatal problem with HAPs is that they apply the strategy of dealing with smog (which is not very successful to start with) to heatwaves. Heat is fundamentally different from air pollution; we cannot shut down its major source as we can do with air pollution. Like Frankenstein’s monster, we have caused it but have no control over it. How to adapt to the heat— building resilience The impacts of heatwaves are complex, compounding and cascading in nature. Heatwaves limit availability while increasing demand for critical resources such as water and electricity that can exacerbate the deficit to the point of system failure. There is an urgent need for a cross-sector policy to ensure India can continue to function without a meltdown or blackout in the future. For instance, the electricity issue as discussed above makes it evident that just adding more capacity— dirty or clean— won’t do as heatwaves can short-circuit the whole grid by melting the distribution lines and changing demand patterns. Heat-proofing generation and transmission will be an engineering challenge while heat-proofing distribution and demand will be a social and political justice challenge. Who will get priority over electricity and for what? Will it be the farmers of Punjab who need to pump out groundwater for their parched fields or the consultants in Delhi who need to air condition their gyms or a family in rural Andhra Pradesh who needs to run their ceiling fan to avoid a heat stroke? Will the priority be decided through free market mechanisms or based on the demands of natural justice? Similar complications need to be addressed in heat-proofing water supply, agriculture and every other sector. This will also require resource balancing among sectors. For instance, water is critical for drinking, sanitation, electricity generation, irrigation and industry but during heatwaves its availability becomes severely limited. The policy must figure out a fair compromise among these competing thirsts. Yet another task for policymakers will be to ensure that the unavoidable 40°C ambient air does not feel like 50°C or more. This will require redesigning our cities and buildings so that they do not trap heat unnecessarily. Also read: Will the Congress work to deepen democratic forest governance in Karnataka? That will require increasing and integrating green and blue cover in our urban mosaic in a way that every neighbourhood (rich or poor, downtown or suburban) gets a reasonable chunk of them. This can only be done by rejigging long-term city master plans and altering building byelaws. In fact, the criteria and priorities of master planning will need to be entirely reconsidered to include impact of heatwaves. Further, there is a need for finding ways to reduce waste heat generated in cities and devising systems to manage the unavoidable exhaust. A large part of this will be achieved through technological transformation but that would have to be supported by larger behavioural changes and reprogramming of societal perceptions and aspirations of thermal comfort. Learning to live with the fire-breathing monster Most importantly, extreme heat is a threat to public health and wellbeing. The human body cannot function optimally once the outdoor temperature crosses 35°C, while extended exposure to temperatures over 40°C can be fatal. But long afternoon siestas of yesteryears, which provided much-needed respite to the human body in extreme conditions, are now frowned upon in the current work culture. There is no escaping from this heat anymore, we have to learn to live with it. Now that the nights are also too warm to sleep, recovery from daytime heat exhaustion is getting expensive for the rich and increasingly impossible for the poor. While the rich can still continue to work in air-conditioned spaces (given they do not trigger a blackout), health risks are especially grave for most of those working outdoors or in factories without cooling. Heatproofing here will have to mean redoing the labour laws and ensuring their rights are honoured (no 70-hour work weeks!). In conclusion, there is not going to be any magical quick fix for this problem. Cutting carbon emissions to stabilise climate change is great but on its own it is not going to help survive the wrath of the sun. To survive the coming summers a lot more needs to change. This is going to be a really long and difficult road that will require extensive rethinking of our entire value system and redesigning of the entire infrastructure ecosystem. It is a multiple-election cycle policy agenda and should not be treated as just an inconvenience for electioneering. There is no escaping from this heat anymore. We have to learn to live with it. And the learning has to start now.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Kolkata’s overlooked air pollution crisis

Delhi’s air pollution problems often receive global attention, but Kolkata’s air quality often ranks among the world’s worst. Data show that levels of PM2.5 — small particulate matter that can enter the lungs and harm human health — can be dangerously high in Kolkata. Transportation and diesel pollution are major contributors to Kolkata’s air pollution. Delhi’s air pollution crisis is one of the most talked-about global issues relating to environment and climate change. As a result, a multitude of efforts have been taken to alleviate the smog clouding India’s capital city — from the U.N. taking regular stock of the situation and suggesting steps to control the pollution to the national and local Delhi governments making and implementing policies on the ground — and in the air. However, the same sense of urgency goes missing when it comes to other Indian cities where the air is equally polluted, and at times even more so. Kolkata, one of the largest Indian metros with a population of more than 14 million, is one such city that has been grappling with severe air pollution in recent times. According to a 2022 report on global air quality, Kolkata was the second-most polluted city in the world in 2019 when taking the city’s population into account. During Diwali — India’s Festival of Lights — in November 2023 and throughout the winter, Kolkata’s air quality remained hazardous and unhealthy. Indians celebrate Diwali by burning fireworks, which release hazardous gases into the air. A 2022 study, which assessed air quality over the Indo-Gangetic Plains during the Diwali season, found that sulfur dioxide and pollution from fine particulates known as PM2.5 were the major pollutants produced by burning firecrackers. The study confirmed that emissions from fireworks significantly deteriorate air quality, affecting not just the night of Diwali but also subsequent days. In late 2023, on Nov. 8, four days prior to Diwali, Kolkata was the third-most polluted city globally after Delhi and Pakistan’s Lahore. Then, on Nov. 11, one day before Diwali, Kolkata’s air was reportedly the most polluted of all Indian metros. By Nov. 13, Kolkata once again ranked second in India, behind Delhi, and it was the fourth-most-polluted city worldwide. The bad air continued into 2024. According to the SwitchON Foundation, an environmental conservation group based in Kolkata, the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) has fluctuated in recent times from moderate to poor. By other standards, air quality in Kolkata can dip into the “very unhealthy” zone. According to AirNow, which uses U.S. Environmental Protection Agency categorizations, air quality is considered “good” if the AQI falls between 0 and 50. An AQI of 51-100 is considered “moderate,” 101-150 is “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” 151-200, noted in red, is regarded as “unhealthy,” and 201-300 as “very unhealthy” and 301 or more as “hazardous.” SwitchOn data show that Kolkata’s air quality in mid-January fluctuated between 195 and 271 the entire week — which would put it solidly in the purple “very unhealthy” category, according to AirNow’s ratings. Victoria Memorial in Kolkata seen through traffic and smoke. According to a 2022 report on global air quality, Kolkata was the second-most polluted city in the world in 2019 when taking the city’s population into account. Image by Steve Evans via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0). What causes air pollution? AQI, which is a measurement of air quality in a specific area, is calculated based on the most dominant pollutant during a given period. Air pollution can be caused by a variety of pollutants, including gases, heavy metals, volatile organic substances, toxins and particulate matter suspended in the air. The size of a pollutant matters. Larger particulate matter (PM) such as dust, soot or smoke, are known as PM10, meaning they are 10 micrometers (µm) or less in diameter — just a fraction of the width of a human hair — and they are much more dangerous to human health. When considering the air quality in Kolkata, PM2.5 is the most prevalent. Due to their small sizes, both types of particulate matter can be breathed deeply into the lungs, potentially leading to various health problems, including heart disease, stroke and respiratory problems. Long-term exposure can result in lung cancer and adverse childbirth outcomes. It’s a key indicator for assessing air pollution impacts, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). According to a 2017 study published by MDPI, transportation in Kolkata was the major factor behind the city’s air pollution crisis, owing to an abundance of poorly maintained vehicles and the use of petrol fuel. The issue of vehicular pollution in Kolkata is largely due to the high volume of vehicles that travel daily on just 6% of the available road space. This leads to traffic congestion, which in turn lowers the average speed of vehicles and results in significant vehicular emissions. According to the 2017 paper, “The vehicular population in Kolkata has increased at an annual growth rate of 4%. … The heavy concentration of private motor vehicles has been one of the key reasons for congestion, increased travel times, pollution, and accidents.” Sasanka Dev, an environmentalist, echoed the same. “We have to impose some kind of control over the usage of diesel-run personal vehicles. Also, at a time when the number of vehicles has increased, enough road has not been built. Kolkata has the highest vehicular density among Indian cities,” Dev, joint secretary of Sabuj Mancha (Green Platform), a joint platform of multiple environmental groups in West Bengal, told Mongabay. There were reportedly 4.53 million vehicles plying 1,850 kilometers (1,150 miles) of road in Kolkata in 2023, bringing the number of vehicles per kilometer to 2,448. By contrast, despite having more than 10.3 million vehicles, Delhi’s road length totals 33,198 km (20,628 mi) resulting in vehicular density of less than 400 per km. A thick gray haze hung over India and Bangladesh in late February 2023, obscuring much of the land from satellite view and raising levels of aerosol pollution near the ground. Image by NASA. A 2020 media report, stating West Bengal’s transport department records, revealed that more than 3.3 million vehicles in Kolkata and the surrounding area were run on diesel. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) had previously called Kolkata the “diesel capital” of the world, with diesel constituting 45% of total oil consumption by car users in the city. The CSE reported noted that 65% of new cars in Kolkata were diesel, as were 99% of commercial vehicles in the city. CSE warned that black carbon emissions from diesel-run vehicles, with higher carbon content than vehicles run by petrol, were “several times more heat trapping than CO2”. According to the report, “Diesel cars emit seven times more particulates and five times more Nox [nitrogen oxides] and contribute toward formation of ozone – pollutants of concern in our cities.” Exposure to vehicle exhaust among people in Kolkata and Delhi is 3-4 times higher than the world average, according to the report. The European Commission had found that the total pollution expenses over the lifespan of a diesel car that is Euro IV compliant — meaning it adheres to standards introduced by the European Commission in 2005 aimed at cutting down emissions, specifically particulate matter — were significantly greater than those of petrol cars, the report further stated. The WHO categorized diesel emissions as a “class 1 carcinogen” for their strong link with lung cancer — ranking in the same class as tobacco smoking. According to a 2022 study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research, Kolkata has one of the highest age-adjusted incidence rates (AAR) of lung cancer for Indian cities outsidse the Northeast (where access to medical facilities is lacking). Among males, the incidence rate of lung cancer in Kolkata was 22 in comparison with Delhi’s 11.8, Chennai’s 11.8 and Mumbai’s 9.5. For females, it was 7.0, while the Delhi rate was 4.0. In Chennai and Mumbai, the figure was 4.7 and 6.0, respectively. Incidences of lung cancer are not just limited to the capital city of Kolkata. A news report in February revealed that lung cancer made up around 14% of all cancer cases in West Bengal, a “worryingly high” rate when compared with the national average of 6%. Dev, 71, added that even though diesel and petrol prices are now almost at par, a few years ago, diesel was way cheaper. “This led to a massive increase in the number of diesel-run vehicles. As a result, more diesel is burnt and more heat-trapping CO2 is released, causing air pollution.” The CSE report suggested that replacing diesel vehicles with CNG was an opportunity to curb air pollution. But the entire state of West Bengal reportedly has only 46 CNG stations, in comparison with Delhi’s 470. Despite high vehicular intensity, nearly half of the working population in Kolkata commutes by bus, bicycle, train and other transit such as auto rickshaws or taxis. The CSE report found that more than one-fourth of the working population walked to their place of work. But due to the high air pollution, walkers and public transport users — who are part of the solution — are also suffering. “Kolkata needs a technology leapfrog, scaling up of public transport, integrated multi-modal transport options, car restraints and walking for clean air,” according to Anumita Roychowdhury, CSE executive director, research and advocacy, and the head of the CSE air pollution control campaign. Garbage burning in Kolkata. Image by Biswarup Ganguly via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0 ). Consequences of air pollution The WHO estimates that 4.2 million deaths globally are linked to ambient air pollution, mainly from heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections. A 2020 paper published in International Journal of Environmental Health Research, declared that short-term exposure to pollutants can worsen existing respiratory conditions like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic respiratory sputum, coughing, wheezing and breathing difficulties as well as preexisting cardiovascular diseases such as ischemia, arrhythmias and heart failure. This can lead to an uptick in hospital admissions and visits to the emergency department. “We don’t have to talk about any illnesses air pollution causes to understand its seriousness. It’s directly linked with lung cancer and increased mortality. That should be enough to ring the alarm bells now,” Dr. Aloke Gopal Ghoshal, a pulmonologist and medical director of the National Allergy Asthma Bronchitis Institute, told Mongabay. The former WHO Fellow continued, “Extremes of age — that is, children and senior citizens — suffer the most from air pollution. Air pollution causes irreversible damages to a child’s genes. Even if the air quality improves in later years of that person’s [life], the condition of their genes would not improve. We call this epigenetic change.” Other than its effects on human health, air pollution also has a direct impact on a region’s economy. In India, 1.67 million deaths were caused by air pollution in 2019. (In Kolkata, the 2022 global air quality report found, about 99 deaths per 100,000 people were due to exposure to PM2.5.) According to the findings in a Lancet study, the financial toll of premature deaths and morbidity caused by air pollution in India that year amounted to $28.8 billion (with a range of $21.4 billion to $37.4 billion) and $8.0 billion (with a range of $5.9 billion to $10.3 billion), respectively. “The high burden of death and disease due to air pollution and its associated substantial adverse economic impact from loss of output could impede India’s aspiration to be a $5 trillion economy by 2024,” the study warned. Victoria Memorial through the smog and trees. Image by Nandini Gupta via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0). Government response Despite all of this, air pollution in Kolkata does not receive adequate attention from policymakers, Dev said. “Other than diesel vehicles, waste burning and construction are other important factors behind air pollution in Kolkata,” he said. The CSE report noted the same, saying Kolkata must reduce pollution from all sources, including industrial emissions, waste incineration and dust from construction and roads to effectively clean the air. “The system of waste processing is nonexistent in Kolkata, the environmentalist said, adding that most waste, dry leaves, wood, etc., are burned in the open, releasing toxins into the air. “At individual levels, citizens of Kolkata also contribute to the city’s air pollution by not managing their waste properly. The government has not done enough to [make people] aware about air pollution,” the environmentalist added. “Apart from not restricting diesel vehicles, the government has also failed to stop factories and industries that run on thermal and biomass energy in Kolkata and its neighborhood.” Additionally, the data produced by the existing air quality monitoring system in Kolkata might also be lacking. Kolkata has just seven air quality monitoring stations across the city, while Delhi has 37. Meanwhile, three of the seven stations in Kolkata are located at some of the greenest spots in the city. Consequently, when the data from all seven stations are averaged, the pollution figures may appear more optimistic than the actual situation, reported ThePrint. The CSE also said that the equipment used for its study registered pollution levels that were higher than the readings taken by the official monitoring devices of the West Bengal Pollution Control Board. To curb the menace of air pollution in Kolkata and neighboring areas, the West Bengal government’s Department of Environment came up with the “Clean Air Action Plan For Kolkata Metropolitan Area.” The multisector action plan included a variety of strategies across different sectors of air quality monitoring and management, such as “emissions from industry, power plants, vehicles and transportation, municipal solid waste, landfill fires, construction and demolition waste, road dust and open areas, household pollution and episodic pollution like crop residue burning.” To cut down air pollution resulting from vehicular emissions, the action plan suggested a combination of strategies, including on-road emissions monitoring, phasing out of old vehicles and a range of public transport strategies including walking and cycling. In addition, the plan called on cities to manage legacy waste through biomining and other techniques to prevent as much waste as possible from ending up in landfills. This included 100% “door to door collection of segregated waste from each household” and “phased reduction of single use plastic.” Mongabay reached out on multiple occasions to the environment ministry and the West Bengal Pollution Control Board for comment on the implementation status of the 2022 plan and on the air pollution problem in Kolkata. Several emails were also sent to officials of both departments, but Mongabay received no response. The copy will be updated if and when they respond.

• Down To Earth

Heat spells in state sign of global warming: Expert

Bhubaneswar: The present spell of heatwaves across the state and in many parts of the country is the manifestation of the impacts of global warming and related climatic changes, said some environmentalists here ahead of the observance of World Environment Day, June 5. The Word Environment Day this year comes at a crucial juncture when many parts of the country, including Odisha, are experiencing extreme heatwave conditions while, on the other hand, new governments are going to be formed both at the Centre and in Odisha as election results would be declared Tuesday. As per United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a score of a little over 63 out of 100, India ranked a dismal 112th among 166 nations with respect to its preparedness to meet the goals. As per Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) 2024 State of India’s Environment in Figures report, between January 1 and December 31, 2023, India experienced extreme weather events on 318 of the 365 days. Putting these phenomena into perspective, OrissaPOST spoke to a few environment experts about what needs to be done to tackle environmental hazards and climate change. Environmentalist and secretary of Odisha Environmental Society JK Panigrahi said, “Humanity is confronting grave challenges. The present spell of heatwaves across the state and in many parts of the country is the manifestation of the impacts of global warming and related climatic changes. Persistent increase in release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere from enhanced use of fossil fuels is at the root of the crisis.” Panigrahi also said, “This year’s theme being, ‘Land restoration, desertification and drought resilience’ under the slogan ‘Our Land, Our Future. We are Generation Restoration,’ the world needs to focus its attention on combating destructive land degradation practices and earnestly carrying out conservation measures. The mounting crisis of climate change is aggravating land degradation and desertification by way of the frequent occurrence of droughts due to irregular weather patterns. The worst sufferers of the predicament are the rural population, marginal farmers and poorest of the poor.” As the quality of soil deteriorates, productivity declines and ecosystems become barren, thereby putting pressure on mankind as well as natural ecosystems, he added. “The new governments that would be formed at the Centre as well as in the state need to rise to the occasion and undertake exemplary initiatives to fight out the environmental challenges by involving the citizens,” Panigrahi stated. Meanwhile, some of the environmentalists raised concern over shortcomings in the environmental action plan of the government. Ranjan Panda, popularly known as Water Man of Odisha, said, “We are almost on the edge as we celebrate World Environment Day this year. Heat has taken a heavy toll on our lives like never before. All our preparedness seems to have fallen short of the need. Our transition to a green economy, fuelled by green energy, is very slow. Our current development models are not letting the way for this transition. Let’s change this with collective actions for transitioning to green and inclusive growth pathways. Unless we work on such pathways, we will just keep digging our own graves.” Echoing similar concerns, Neelima Mishra, climate activist and founder of an environmental impact startup, Ceiba Green Solutions, Odisha said, “Waste segregation, reducing usage of single-use plastics, composting, reducing textile wastes, participating in activities like plogging, nature trails etc are the need of the hour.” She also said, “Although we are yet become zero-waste households, we have adopted a number of habits that have helped us reduce the amount of waste we produce and in the upcoming year we’re striving to do even better. While we might not have the power to reverse climate change and stop rising sea levels, we can work on adopting lifestyles with less use of plastic, less garbage and less packaging.

• Urban Lab

Heat proofing cities: Emergency oriented approaches must give way to long-term planning

When Delhi’s Mungeshpur automatic weather station beeped an unprecedented heat peak of 52.9 degrees on May 29, it provoked an incredulous reaction. Is this an outlier, an anomaly? The Mungeshpur figures were later ascribed to a technological fault. But the story is not about only one number this summer, but about the consistent long-term rise in the summer heat index (high temperature combined with growing relative humidity) in Delhi, signalling an altered reality. This new normal is evident in the recent analysis of six megacities carried out by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) which indicates growing heat stress in urban centres of the country due to rising air temperature, relative humidity and land surface temperature. Nights are not cooling down adequately any more. This intensifies thermal discomfort and increases the disease burden. Several factors are at play. The continuous expansion of the built-up area is increasing heat-trapping concrete surfaces in urban areas. Illustratively, Delhi’s built-up area has increased from 31.4 per cent in 2003 to 38.2 per cent in 2022, and that of Bengaluru from 37.5 per cent to 71.5 per cent in 2023. ADVERTISEMENT Most urban development projects do not meet the minimum requirement of 9 sq m of green space per individual with an ideal urban green space of 50 sq m per capita, as recommended by the World Health Organisation. It varies between 1.4 sq m in Pune to 6.67 sq m in Jaipur and 10.41 sq m in Delhi. The green cover is disappearing quickly. The spatial spread of greenery and the quality of the canopy also matter. The CSE study found that unshaded areas have a land surface temperature (LST) greater than 40°C; areas shaded by palm trees have a high LST of 35.9°C, while dense foliage-covered areas have a lower LST of 29.7°C. But this science seldom informs on-ground action. Festive offer Equally worrying is the disappearing waterbodies. Between 1999 and 2021, Delhi lost half of its surface water; Pune lost 31.8 per cent of its surface water, and Jaipur, 21.5 per cent of its surface water. This is when we know that water-sensitive urban design can reduce ambient temperatures by 3-8 degrees in a microclimate. Not many are aware of the added top-up heat from vehicle tailpipes, industrial processes and air conditioning in buildings. There is little clarity about policy action on these heat generators. ADVERTISEMENT The growing heat risk and urban heat island effect have massive equity impacts. The urban maps of heat hotspots overlay snugly with the maps of areas where poor people live. The poor are more vulnerable, given their underlying diseases and patterns of unprotected exposures. The elderly and children are hugely vulnerable as well. Globally, as per the estimates of the ‘2023 Lancet Countdown and Health and Climate Change’, heat-related deaths among the elderly are expected to increase by 370 per cent by mid-century. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that even if global warming is stabilised at 1.5°C, the frequency and intensity of heat extremes and duration of heat waves will keep rising; and urban growth will further amplify this impact. Transform urban microclimate Climate change may be a constant. However, for resilient cities, responsive policies are needed to strengthen the coping and adaptive capacity of the urban population. ADVERTISEMENT Cities have begun framing heat action plans. Despite including longer-term systemic changes to reduce heat risks, in practice, these remain largely fixated on emergency response during heat waves. This focus on advisory to the people, improving drinking water availability in public places, creating more shades and sprucing up health care services to reduce heat-related disease burden among others. These plans are yet to mature and acquire a legal and funding backup to have an enforceable legal mandate for heat management to reduce the overall thermal load on urban infrastructure and built structures. There are several regulatory instruments in place related to urban resource management, land use, thermal comfort and energy efficiency in built structures, that are not leveraged adequately. These include environment impact assessment for buildings and townships, urban and regional development plans formulation and implementation (URDPFI) and urban master plans, energy conservation building codes and Eco Samhita — the building code for energy efficient and thermally comfortable buildings and material — provisions of the Cooling Action Plan, transit-oriented development policies and a series of Indian standards on siting and layout of buildings, natural ventilation. Yet these remain suboptimal in delivering on heat management indicators. The weakest link is the lack of mandate and monitorable performance and compliance framework to make these policies work on ground to change the microclimate. Undo heat traps ADVERTISEMENT Planning needs to go much deeper than the immediate emergency or disaster response to specific heat episodes. This needs sustained action throughout the year to heatproof the city. Ensure land-use changes to expand the green areas and water bodies for a stronger cooling effect. Increase shaded areas. This requires a mandate for a comprehensive heat vulnerability mapping of cities, auditing the thermal performance of built structures and materials, and identifying vulnerable groups and their access to services and resources. It is equally important to build climate data platforms that focus on ambient heat, surface heat absorption, land surface temperatures, relative humidity, and changing land-use to inform corrective action. Decisively aligning and augmenting performance-linked funding across sectors is also imperative to enable the implementation of the plans. Cooling action is needed urgently to improve the overall adaptive thermal comfort and prevent the lock-in of urban heat traps in a changing climate. The writer is Executive Director at Centre for Science and Environment

• Climate Change and Green Economy

Road to 1.5°C goal ‘steep’, need more cooperation: UN climate chief

UN climate chief warns of 2.7°C warming, highlighting the steep road to limit warming to 1.5°C. Urges international cooperation at Bonn Climate Change Conference. The Bonn Climate Change Conference opened on Monday with a dire warning from the UN climate chief: the world is headed for 2.7°C warming and the road to restrict warming to 1.5°C is extremely steep. Addressing the opening plenary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) chief Simon Stiell stressed the importance of international cooperation, without which the world would be headed “for up to 5°C of global heating”. “Without UN-convened international cooperation, we would be headed for up to 5°C of global heating, which most of humanity likely couldn’t survive. We are now headed for around 2.7°C. This is still ruinously high, and there’s a long and steep road ahead to get to our shared goal of 1.5°C this century. But we should be energised that we are approaching a halfway point,” said Stiell. “It’s clear that in the second half of humanity’s climate journey will be even harder, and climate action will need to move at a faster pace. We cannot afford rest-stops or detours at this half-way point in humanity’s climate journey. And we absolutely cannot afford to stumble in the next ten days, or for global climate progress to stall this year and beyond,” he said. The Bonn talks, between June 3 and 13, are being held at the halfway point to the annual climate summit, the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) which is being hosted by Azerbaijan this year. Acknowledging the growing number of extreme weather events, including the current heatwave in India, Nabeel Munir, the chair of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation of UNFCCC, urged that the climate crisis is no longer a distant threat. “Climate change is no longer a distant threat but a reality affecting each of us. In Papua New Guinea a devastating landslide buried 2,000 people. In Pakistan and India temperatures soared to 50°C; in Panama the entire island is sinking,” he wrote on X. “Keep these events in mind when reacting to proposals, (and) writing decisions texts,” Munir said. Calling the conference a critical milestone, COP29 president-designate Mukhtar Babayev said, “Our future rests on us coming together to build the fair and ambitious solutions needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions and build a resilient world. We must use every opportunity in the next two weeks to make progress on a new climate finance goal, Article 6, and the rest of the negotiation agenda. These will be foundation stones of tangible results at COP29... In Bonn, we will lay out the pathways we must follow to reach our goals. It’s time to empower everyone to protect themselves and our planet.” The Bonn meeting is expected to set the agenda for climate negotiations this year and will open discussions on a new finance goal to replace the existing goal of $100 billion per year. The new finance goal is meant to channel greater funds towards the urgently needed climate action in developing countries. Discussions on New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG) have emerged contentious in the past, with developed and developing nations presenting opposing views. HT reported on May 6 that at an Ad Hoc Work Programme (AHWP) of the UNFCCC, held in Cartagena, Colombia, from April 23 to 26, the US said that the goal is “voluntary” for those that “choose to pay”, referring to Article 9.3 of the 2015 Paris climate pact that deals with climate finance. Developing countries opposed this view, and pointed out that the Paris Agreement stipulates wealthy nations shall provide financial resources to assist developing countries to both mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate crisis. “First, we must make serious progress on finance — the great enabler of climate action. Here in Bonn, I urge you to move from zero-draft to real options for a new collective quantified goal on climate finance. We cannot afford to reach Baku with too much work still to do. So, please, make every hour here count. We need more climate finance while we negotiate a future goal. Progress on one, enables the other,” Stiell said. “New grant and forms of concessional finance to developing countries must be coupled with global financial reforms that deliver debt relief and affordable finance, and finding new and innovative sources of finance, outside our process,” he said. On the country-specific Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Stiell called for a new round of plans that are 1.5°C-compatible. “This new round of national climate plans — NDCs 3.0 — will be among the most important policy documents produced so far this century. NDCs are not just about averting disaster through reducing emissions. Done well, they can serve as powerful blueprints, to propel each of your economies and societies forward, and drive more resilience, more opportunity, better human health and higher living standards,” he said. The agenda for the Bonn climate talks was adopted on Monday after it was blocked twice — once by climate activists who protested against the human rights violations in Gaza during the plenary and another time by Russia which said it is compelled to object as some of its experts were not provided the visas needed to attend the meeting. After a short suspension of the opening plenary, Russia withdrew its objection to the adoption of the agenda, reserving the right to block the adoption of outcomes should the visa matter not be resolved. “The agendas for the UNFCCC June Climate Meeting were adopted, without the items on developed countries’ urgent action towards net-zero and on means of implementation for alternative policy approaches to results-based payments that were proposed for inclusion by Bolivia,” the International Institute of Sustainable Development, which is tracking the negotiations, wrote on X. Experts stressed that the talks must take into account demands of developing countries with regards to climate finance. “For Bonn to be successful, first and foremost, significant progress on the new climate finance goal is necessary. The deliberations at this mid-year mark must make strides towards an ambitious draft negotiating text as we move towards COP 29. All elements proposed in the text must take into account the demands of developing countries that have been vocalised clearly over the last two years, rooted in equity. With just about five months left for the expected outcome, time is of the essence,” said Sehr Raheja, programme officer, climate change at Centre for Science and Environment. “Additionally, countries are gearing up for a renewal of their national climate commitments in February next year. Discussions this year, including those at Bonn need to feed into these. So, the outcomes of the Global Stocktake must inform the NDC development process through the first annual GST dialogue that is going to commence in Bonn next week,” she added. Meanwhile, the dire circumstances that the talks are being held in were highlighted in a bulletin of the Third World Network, a non-profit research and advocacy group. “The climate talks are taking place in what appears to be a rather cold Bonn, with low temperatures unlike the usual summer weather, and with unprecedented and unbearable heatwaves in many parts of the world, which have already claimed lives and is causing much disruption,” it said in a bulletin on Monday.

• Environment Education

बेहतरीन प्रदर्शन पर डिडवीं स्कूल को मिलेगा सम्मान

ग्रीन स्कूल प्रोग्राम ऑडिट में किया है सर्वश्रेष्ठ प्रदर्शन पर्यावरण विभाग की ओर से आयोजित गतिविधियों में रहा अव्वल संवाद न्यूज एजेंसी डिडवीं टिक्कर(हमीरपुर)। राजकीय वरिष्ठ माध्यमिक पाठशाला डिडवीं की ओर से किए गए ग्रीन स्कूल प्रोग्राम ऑडिट में बेहतरीन प्रदर्शन करने पर भू प्रबंधन श्रेणी में इस वर्ष पांच जून को मुख्यमंत्री रोलिंग ट्रॉफी से विद्यालय को सम्मानित किया जाएगा। स्कूल ने ग्रीन स्कूल प्रोग्राम ऑडिट में बेहतरीन प्रदर्शन किया है। इस उपलब्धि के लिए उपनिदेशक प्रारंभिक शिक्षा विभाग हमीरपुर ने प्रधानाचार्य शैली शर्मा, ईको क्लब प्रभारी पूर्णिमा कुमारी, छात्रों, स्कूल प्रबंधन समिति, पंचायत प्रधान, सभी शिक्षकों और गैर शिक्षक वर्गों को हार्दिक बधाई दी। जिला विज्ञान पर्यवेक्षक राजेश गौतम ने स्कूल को उपलब्धि के लिए बधाई दी। उन्होंने कहा कि स्कूल निरंतर पर्यावरण विभाग की ओर से आयोजित विभिन्न गतिविधियों और कार्यशालाओं में बढ़-चढ़कर भाग लेता रहा है। स्कूल में एक सुव्यवस्थित हर्बल गार्डन, बाॅटनिकल और किचन गार्डन भी हैं। इसमें विभिन्न प्रकार के औषधीय, सजावटी फूल और फलों के पौधे लगाए गए हैं। इनका संरक्षण विद्यालय के बच्चे और ईको क्लब सदस्य सहित स्वयंसेवी संस्था के सदस्य निरंतर करते आ रहे हैं। स्कूल में शिक्षा विभाग के निर्देशों के तहत न्यूट्रीशन गार्डन और फ्रूट गार्डन भी बॉटनिकल गार्डन की भूमि तथा बंजर भूमि में तैयार किया जा रहा है ।इसके साथ ही विद्यालय में ड्रिप तंत्र सिस्टम विद्यार्थियों ने लगाए हैं। ये सारी गतिविधियां ग्रीन स्कूल प्रोग्राम के तहत हर वर्ष की जाती हैं। विद्यालय ग्रीन स्कूल कार्यक्रम की समन्वयक पूर्णिमा ने कहा कि इस उपलब्धि का मुख्य श्रेय साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट नई दिल्ली की डायरेक्टर सुनीता नारायण और उनकी टीम के सदस्य नीरज कुमार तथा तुषिता रावत को दिया जाता है।

• Urban Lab

Polls close after last round of voting in India's election

• DTE - Web

NGT imposes 4.6 Cr fine on Manali MC for poor waste management

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a fine of Rs 4.6 crore on the Manali Municipal Council for failing to manage waste properly at a dumping site in Rangri village, near the tourist resort of Manali. The tribunal’s order, issued on May 29, 2024, mandates the Municipal Council to pay the fine within three months and deposit the amount with the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB). According to a report published in Down to Earth magazine on May 31, 2024, the NGT found that proper management of solid waste at the Rangri village waste facility was not being conducted. The tribunal specified that the fine would be used for compensating the damage caused to the environment as well as for its rejuvenation and restoration. The order also stated that any previous or anticipated payments made by the respondent after receiving notice on January 24, 2024, would be directed towards environmental restoration. In response to the situation, the NGT directed the state to form a joint committee comprising the District Magistrate of Kullu, the Member Secretary of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and the Member Secretary of the HPSPCB. This committee is tasked with ensuring proper segregation and management of garbage and preparing an environmental rejuvenation plan within six months. The tribunal’s action follows a written complaint from a petitioner about pollution affecting two nearby schools and a local village due to unscientific dumping practices. On May 25, 2022, the head of Gram Panchayat Shalen in Manali, Paldan Phunchog, highlighted the issue in a letter, noting that local residents were suffering from garbage scattered over a two-kilometer area and the resulting foul smell. This situation was leading to health problems and creating living conditions described as “hellish.” The Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board, in its inspection on January 3, 2024, found several violations at the Rangri village municipal solid waste facility. The inspection revealed heaps of long-standing waste along with fresh mixed waste that required scientific processing. Additionally, compost pits were filled with mixed waste, and the facility lacked both a bio-methanation plant and a bio-composter despite repeated instructions from the Pollution Board. The retaining wall around old waste near the Beas River was also found damaged. The Panchayat accused the civic body of excessive piling of fresh waste, which, with little rain, flows into the Beas River, exacerbating the environmental hazard. The court has warned that if the Municipal Council continues to mismanage or misuse solid waste, the Pollution Control Board should determine environmental compensation on a monthly basis. Noteworthy that this significant fine and the tribunal’s directives highlight the urgent need for proper waste management practices to protect the environment and public health in Manali.

• DTE - Web

NGT imposes fine on MMC for not managing waste

The National Green Tribunal slapped a fine of Rs 4.6 crore on Manali Municipal Council to pay environmental compensation for not managing waste properly in Rangri village. According to a report published in Down to Earth Environment Magazine on May 31, 2024, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) reportedly imposed a Rs 4.6 crore fine on MC Manali for not managing waste properly in a dumping site of civic bidy at Rangri near tourist resort Manali. In an order passed on May 29, 2024, the tribunal said that proper management of solid waste at the waste facility located in Rangri village of Manali was not being done. The tribunal was directed to pay this compensation within three months and deposit this amount of fine with the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board. The entire amount would be charged to the civic body under the Solid Waste Management Act of 2016. The NGT said that this compensation would be used to compensate for the damage caused to the environment as well as for its rejuvenation and restoration. The order also held that any previous or anticipated payment made in this matter by the respondent after receiving the notice on January 24, 2024, would also be used for the restoration of the environment. NGT has also directed the state to form a joint committee of the District Magistrate of Kullu, Member Secretary of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and Member Secretary of the HPSPCB to ensure proper segregation and management of garbage. This panel would prepare an environmental rejuvenation plan within the next six months. On a written complaint submitted by a petitioner, it was found that two schools and a local village were facing pollution due to unscientific dumping. The court has also warned that if the Municipal Council continues to mismanage, process, or misuse solid waste, then the Pollution Control Board should determine environmental compensation on a monthly basis. It is worth noting that on May 25, 2022, the head of Gram Panchayat Shalen in Manali, Paldan Phunchog, complained about the illegal dumping of solid waste in his letter petition area. Phunchog stated that the local residents are suffering from the garbage scattered in a two-kilometer area and the foul smell emanating from it. This was leading to health problems and threatening the situation, compared to hell. In response, the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board said on January 24, 2024, that they had inspected the municipal solid waste facility located at Rangri village on January 3, 2024. A lot of violations were found during this inspection. There were heaps of long-standing waste along with fresh mixed waste at the site. These needed to be processed scientifically

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Ujjwala 2.0: Most migrant workers in Chennai not even aware of scheme

In August 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a renewed version of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), through which migrants could avail of a cooking gas connection with just a self-declaration as proof of address. Through this scheme, christened Ujjwala 2.0, the beneficiaries could get a gas connection, the first gas cylinder worth over Rs 800 and a stove, for free. It was touted as a thoughtful welfare scheme that helped migrant workers avail themselves of a gas connection without the necessary documentation such as caste certificates and ration cards. Three years later, this scheme remains an unfulfilled promise, as a reality check on the ground indicates that most migrant workers in Chennai are not even aware of this government initiative. Struggles of acquiring an LPG connection James Mundu, a native of Jharkhand, who is working at Marai Malai Nagar in South Chennai, purchased a gas cylinder in 2022 from the black market. “I bought a 14-kg cylinder without a gas connection for Rs 5,000. As I have no address proof for Chennai, I had to pay six times the original price of the cylinder,” James Mundu said. Had his wife been a beneficiary of the Ujjwala 2.0 scheme, their family could have received a cylinder and a gas connection for free, thus saving Rs 5,000 — the money that gets them vegetables for two whole months. James Mundu lives in an asbestos sheet house, with his wife and brother-in-law and earns around Rs 15,000 a month. “We had to compromise on many things to save that money,” said James, who has no clue about the Ujjwala 2.0 scheme. Around six migrant workers and five activists we reached out to, who are working for the welfare of the fraternity are unaware of the scheme. About the ambitious scheme Ujjwala 2.0 is an extension of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), a flagship scheme launched in 2016 to distribute free LPG connections to women belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. In addition to allocating 1.6 crore LPG connections, Ujjwala 2.0 extended eligibility for a free cooking gas connection to migrant households. Typically, these households are required to pay a deposit of Rs 2,450 for the connection. While the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas claims that it has distributed 10.33 crore LPG connections across India under the scheme and 2.34 crore gas connections to migrants through Ujjwala 2.0 as of May 30, 2024, the impact of the scheme is not seemingly visible on the ground. According to media reports quoting industry sources, the migrant population in Tamil Nadu have benefited greatly from the Ujjwala 2.0 scheme. Official data from the PMUY website says that about 8.65 crore LPG connections have been released since the renewed scheme’s launch, in Tamil Nadu. Surprisingly, the number of migrant beneficiaries in the Chennai district is only 4113. Considering Chennai has a sizeable population of migrants, the numbers just don’t add up. ‘No enquiries received’ This writer reached out to three Indane gas agencies and one HP gas agency in Chennai to inquire whether they offered free gas connections to migrant workers. These agencies are situated in Medavakkam, Purusawakkam, Thiruvanmiyur, and Chintadripet. However, not only did these gas agencies fail to provide connections, but they also reported receiving no inquiries from migrant workers about the scheme. The HP gas agency employee at Medavakkam said that HP has not been processing Ujjwala 2.0 for the past three years. An Indane gas agency employee from Thiruvanmiyur said they received at least 20 enquiries from the Chennai-based BPL families but none from migrants. “After the Prime Minister’s announcement, we received information from Indian Oil Corporation Limited about the extension of the scheme to migrant workers. But we have not processed any requests from migrant families in the past three years,” said I Lavanya, Manager, Lord Balaji Gas Agencies, Thiruvanmiyur. None of these agencies organised awareness programmes on Ujjwala 2.0 for migrant workers. They had, however, organised camps to disseminate information on the PMUY scheme to the BPL families in the city. Citizen Matters contacted Kumar Jayant, Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Labour and Skill Development, Govt of Tamil Nadu, who stated that the scheme is directly managed by Central PSUs/oil companies and advised contacting them directly. The helpline dedicated to this scheme is non-functional as all attempts to reach the listed number (18002666696) for Ujjwala 2.0 were unsuccessful in connecting to a customer care executive. When we contacted staff at the office of Kushagra Mittal, Deputy Secretary for gas agency/LPG, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, they mentioned that “the secretary is not authorised to speak to the media due to ongoing elections.” With the growth of infrastructure projects in Chennai, a rapidly developing metropolitan city, there is a high influx of migrants entering the construction industry and settling in slums, in and around the city, a study on migrant workers in Chennai says. Migrant workers in informal sectors earn modest incomes and diligently save whatever they can, often sending a portion home to support their families. Ajay Panna (27) could purchase a gas cylinder by paying Rs 3,000 to his house owner. A native of Assam’s Tinsukia district, he has been living in Chennai for over a year now. “My house owner used his proof of address and charged me almost four times more than the actual cost, to get me a LPG cylinder,” said Ajay. Before acquiring a gas cylinder, Ajay’s family depended on an induction stove for cooking, which offered limited cooking options and necessitated the use of only stainless-steel pots. The gas cylinder proves invaluable for migrant workers in cutting down meal expenses, as otherwise, they resort to eating out. “We don’t find satisfaction in eating out because we are always conscious of the cost,” James explained. “We prefer cooking at home, where we can prepare our own cuisine and enjoy our meals without reservation.” No social security benefits for migrant workers According to a study called The Life and Times of Migrants in Chennai, migrants choose to work in the construction, manufacturing and service industries of the city for better earnings and to come out of indebtedness. The 2013-study states that the majority of migrants in the construction sector (page 53) do not get social security benefits such as Employment Provident Fund (EPF), giving all the more reason why they should have free gas connections. “Only 1.2% of them get a food subsidy in canteens,” the study stated. Considering the shortcomings, Ujjwala 2.0 could have made an impact among the migrants. Anima Kanbulna, a 34-year-old native of West Bengal, who has been living in Chennai’s Ambattur says, “Forget maternity leaves, we are paid less and are expected to work overtime. We literally starve ourselves to save money.” Anima had to purchase a gas cylinder for Rs 3,000 in the black market. If there is something that connects Anima, Ajay and James, it is the fact that they are oblivious of the Ujjwala 2.0 scheme. “Had I not spent that money on a cylinder, I could have used it to buy some clothes for my newborn,” Anima said. What’s the way ahead? Analysing the reasons behind the limited coverage of the Ujjwala 2.0 scheme may help come up with solutions. Dr Bernard D’Sami, senior research fellow, Loyola Institute of Social Science Training and Research, (LISSTAR) Chennai, who has been studying migrant workers for the past fifteen years, opined that the scheme should be promoted by other line departments at the state and city level. “Line departments of the union and state governments through social welfare, home, housing and urban affairs should have made this program known to the interstate migrants,” Dr Bernard D’Sami said. While the single male migrants often live in groups and use kerosene stoves for cooking, there is a great need for gas connections for migrant families. “Schemes such as these should be communicated in their own language,” Dr Bernard D’Sami said. Researchers who studied the Ujjwala scheme said that the beneficiaries often struggle to afford refilling the cylinders after availing them for free. “This along with unreliable supply in rural areas has slowed down the widespread uptake. The strategy will have to be reinvented,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), adding that poor access to information could have been one of the reasons why migrants could not benefit from Ujjwala 2.0. “We have to get to the level to bring in behavioural change among the beneficiaries and also promote decentralised renewable energy schemes for promoting induction cooking. We need to build awareness around it,” she added.

• Urban Lab

Heat proofing cities: Emergency oriented approaches must give way to long-term planning

When Delhi’s Mungeshpur automatic weather station beeped an unprecedented heat peak of 52.9 degrees on May 29, it provoked an incredulous reaction. Is this an outlier, an anomaly? The Mungeshpur figures were later ascribed to a technological fault. But the story is not about only one number this summer, but about the consistent long-term rise in the summer heat index (high temperature combined with growing relative humidity) in Delhi, signalling an altered reality. This new normal is evident in the recent analysis of six megacities carried out by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) which indicates growing heat stress in urban centres of the country due to rising air temperature, relative humidity and land surface temperature. Nights are not cooling down adequately any more. This intensifies thermal discomfort and increases the disease burden. Several factors are at play. The continuous expansion of the built-up area is increasing heat-trapping concrete surfaces in urban areas. Illustratively, Delhi’s built-up area has increased from 31.4 per cent in 2003 to 38.2 per cent in 2022, and that of Bengaluru from 37.5 per cent to 71.5 per cent in 2023.

• Down To Earth

Sunita Narain on launch of State of Environment in Figures 2024

Report points to these priorities for planning: water scarcity, water pollution, air pollution in cities and declining public transport To buy the book, click here This is our annual report to measure the state of the environment using data; it provides a snapshot of the state of affairs through numbers. This is important because we know that you get what you measure; more importantly, what gets measured is also what, subsequently, gets done. Data, thus, is key for driving the action that is so critical in our world. I write this when temperatures have breached 50°C in my city of Delhi. It is scorching, burning heat, and now we are being informed that a water crisis looms as well. All this is worse for people who work outside; they have no choice but to cope with the heat, and with little resources. This is a time when we cannot help but understand the crisis of a changing climate. This is borne out by the data in this report: there is clear evidence that heat is rising. It is not only heat; it is also extreme weather events that are breaking the backs of the poorest in our world. This report tells you how 69 weather stations across 23 of the 36 Indian states and Union Territories shattered their monthly highest 24-hour rainfall in 122 years. This means more rain on fewer number of rainy days, which in turn will add to the challenge of more frequent floods, followed by longer droughts. I also write this when India is electing a new government. We will soon know the results of this massive celebration of democracy, and the question then is, what do we learn from this data as far as an agenda for the new-old government goes? The first thing that is clear is that whatever the priority of the government, it must be understood that this is the age of climate change. It means that there will be unseasonal weather, intense heat and cold and extreme rain. This will take away the development dividend. But it also means that a development strategy has to be designed for this climate-risked world. The fact is, farmers will need all the help they can get in these times of variable weather. The data shows us that the flagship crop insurance scheme of the government to provide that crucial support is flagging; it needs a reboot. It needs a rethink, also so that it can take into account the local impact of crop losses because of unseasonal weather. This is not all; we know that we need to change our energy-pathway so that we can grow economically, but we also need to reduce our local emissions (from burning coal) that are toxic for health. And if we do this, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to a burning planet. This is particularly important as temperature increases will mean a greater need for energy. If this is fueled using dirty sources like coal, it will be disastrous for us and for the planet. The Indian government’s strategy has been to invest in renewable energy; to reduce our dependence on coal, even as we double our energy consumption. But data reveals that thermal power is still king; and if we take renewable energy to include big hydro-power then generation declined in the past year, in spite of the increased investment in building new infrastructure. It is the same with electric vehicles; we can see an increased uptake of e-vehicles, but if you deep dive into data it reveals that the bulk of these are in the 2-3 wheeled category and e-vehicles do not displace new diesel vehicle — specially not in the case of private cars or buses. This then is the other challenge — of reinventing mobility for clean air — and data shows that bus infrastructure is going down and public bus agencies are deep in red. We need to rework strategies for the future in all these areas. The report points to these priorities for planning: water scarcity, water pollution, air pollution in cities and declining public transport. The fact is, this is where our focus has to be. This is a world where plans have to be crafted keeping in mind the crisis of climate change; but this is also a world where we would have the opportunity to address this crisis. We need clever solutions that will work for us—growth, livelihoods and wellbeing for all—and also address climate change. This is the opportunity. This is where the data takes us. Now we need to act. And act with speed, scale and imagination. 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.

• Urban Lab

Air quality panel constitutes team to control Delhi winter pollution levels

The enforcement task force is constituted by the pollution-control body comprises six members with technical and administrative experience. NEW DELHI: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has sprung into action earlier than usual to control winter pollution levels in Delhi-NCR. The central body has constituted an enforcement team to monitor the on-ground implementation of the commission’s guidelines. The team will monitor and enforce the pollution control guidelines of the central agency. Strict action will be taken against those who violate the rules, officials said. Although the level of pollution in the national capital is higher than normal even during summers, people have to endure the scourge of air pollution during the four months of winter due to unfavourable atmospheric conditions. The pollution-control body usually enforces the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) between October and February to prevent such circumstances. The CAQM continuously issues instructions to control the factors responsible for pollution. The enforcement task force is constituted by the pollution-control body comprises six members with technical and administrative experience. According to the instructions issued by the commission in this regard, this enforcement task force will monitor the measures towards prevention of pollution in the national capital region as well as enforce the guidelines and rules issued by the commission. According to State of Environment report by the Centre of Science and Environment, air pollution in Delhi was found to be the leading cause of mortality, followed by various other health issues, such as high blood pressure, dietary risks, tobacco, diabetes, high cholesterol and kidney dysfunction. Killer air According to a Centre of Science and Environment study, air pollution in Delhi was found to be the leading cause of mortality, followed by other health issues, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol.

• Urban Lab

'Severe' heat wave abates, says IMD even as fatalities inch towards 100

A recent analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment shows heat stress is not just about rising temperatures, but a deadly combination of air temperature, land surface temperature and relative humidity that leads to acute thermal discomfort.

• Down To Earth

Air quality panel constitutes team to control Delhi winter pollution levels

According to State of Environment report by the Centre of Science and Environment, air pollution in Delhi was found to be the leading cause of mortality, followed by various other health issues, such as high blood pressure, dietary risks, tobacco, diabetes, high cholesterol and kidney dysfunction. NEW DELHI: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has sprung into action earlier than usual to control winter pollution levels in Delhi-NCR. The central body has constituted an enforcement team to monitor the on-ground implementation of the commission’s guidelines. The team will monitor and enforce the pollution control guidelines of the central agency. Strict action will be taken against those who violate the rules, officials said. Although the level of pollution in the national capital is higher than normal even during summers, people have to endure the scourge of air pollution during the four months of winter due to unfavourable atmospheric conditions. The pollution-control body usually enforces the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) between October and February to prevent such circumstances. The CAQM continuously issues instructions to control the factors responsible for pollution. The enforcement task force is constituted by the pollution-control body comprises six members with technical and administrative experience. According to the instructions issued by the commission in this regard, this enforcement task force will monitor the measures towards prevention of pollution in the national capital region as well as enforce the guidelines and rules issued by the commission. According to State of Environment report by the Centre of Science and Environment, air pollution in Delhi was found to be the leading cause of mortality, followed by various other health issues, such as high blood pressure, dietary risks, tobacco, diabetes, high cholesterol and kidney dysfunction. Killer air According to a Centre of Science and Environment study, air pollution in Delhi was found to be the leading cause of mortality, followed by other health issues, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol.