• Down To Earth

Turning grim: India’s state of environment

The State of India’s Environment in Figures – an annual publication by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down To Earth magazine – is a unique collation of statistics which provides a snapshot of the state of affairs in the country using numbers. Nine of the states/UTs have air pollution levels so high that reducing their PM2.5 levels to the recommended standards of the World Health Organization (WHO) can extend the average lifespan of their residents by five years and three months. Among those which indicate a high potential gain in life expectancy are Delhi (11 years and 10 months), Uttar Pradesh (8 years and 10 months), Haryana (8 years and 4 months) and Bihar (7 years and 11 months), among others “The numbers revealed by this report do paint a grim picture. But therein hides an opportunity. In painting its picture, the report outlines the priorities for the new regime – the sectors where we must craft our development plans, keeping in mind the climate crisis that we face today,” according to Sunita Narain, director general of CSE. State of the states Says Richard Mahapatra, managing editor of Down To Earth: “The SOE in Figures tells us that many states and UTs are grappling with low per capita health expenditure, high incidence of non-communicable diseases, declining renewable energy generation, inadequate crop insurance coverage and deteriorating soil health.”

• Down To Earth

Over 80% of legacy waste remains unremediated in 15 states and Union territories: CSE report

2024 State of India’s Environment in Figures' released by the Centre for Science and Environment documents the state of development, climate, extreme weather, GHG emissions, health, energy, air and waste, among others. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down To Earth magazine have released the '2024 State of India’s Environment in Figures' report to mark World Environment Day (June 5). It is a unique collation of statistics which provides a snapshot of the state of affairs in the country using numbers. What it also provides is an agenda for development, based on hard facts and data, to the new-old government that will emerge to take hold of the reins of the country, said Sunita Narain, director general of CSE, speaking at a webinar in New Delhi. Narain added: “The numbers revealed by this report do paint a grim picture. But therein hides an opportunity. In painting its picture, the report outlines the priorities for the new regime – the sectors where we must craft our development plans, keeping in mind the climate crisis that we face today.” SOE in Figures, as the report is referred to, reveals some alarming truths indeed. Take the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With a score of a little over 63 out of 100, India ranks a dismal 112th among 166 nations with respect to its preparedness to meet the Goals. The report documents the state of development, climate, extreme weather, GHG emissions, health, energy, air and waste, among others. Following are some of the highlights from the report on the State of Waste in India: According to the report, India generates about 145,351.73 tonnes of solid waste per day. Out of this, 79% (approximately 114,588.73 tonnes) is processed daily. Among the positive trends, the report finds that India has achieved 100% collection of municipal solid waste. Despite high collection rates, the effective processing and segregation at the source still pose significant challenges in many areas. Segregation at source happens at 89% of the wards, and waste processing stands at 79% of the total waste generated. Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 has given a clear mandate to all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in India to complete remediation of their existing dumpsites by 2023 (for cities with less than 1 million population) and by 2024 (for cities with more than 1 million population) in compliance with environmentally sustainable Status of primary dumpsites methods. Challenges from legacy waste Every day, more than 30,000 tonnes, constituting 21% of total municipal solid waste, remains unprocessed in India, eventually ending in landfills. The number of dumpsites with legacy waste surged in at least 16 states/UTs from 2023 to 2024, as per the report. “Only 17% of India's legacy waste has been dealt with, and plans are underway to address another 26%. No action has been taken on the remaining 56%.” Several states and UTs, including West Bengal, Mizoram, and Ladakh, process less than half of the municipal solid waste they generate. Meanwhile, the redressal rate of CPCB's mobile application to report illegal use of plastics has dropped to 19% in May 2024, from 25% in March 2023. In July 2022, when India banned single-use plastics, the Central Pollution Control Board rolled out a mobile application "SUP-CPCB" that allows citizens to complain and report illegal plastic sale and use. However, as time has passed, the Central agency's redressal rate of these complaints has slowed down and has dropped to 19%. Since the ban on single-use plastics in 2022, significant issues persist with the enforcement and management of plastic waste.

• Director General Office

Our land, our future: Embracing sustainability to combat climate change

Climate change represents one of the most pressing challenges of our time, exerting profound impacts on the environment, economies and societies worldwide. Defined by long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns, climate change is primarily driven by human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes, which increase the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. World Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5, serves as a global platform to raise awareness and encourage action on urgent environmental issues. This day reminds us of the collective responsibility we bear in mitigating climate change and safeguarding the planet for future generations. As Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, aptly stated, “There is no Plan B because there is no Planet B.” Welcome to the celebrations to mark the 2024 World Environment Day. Amidst the glaring adversities and threats to the environment, the World Environment Day 2024 celebrations – whose underlying theme this year is ‘Our land. Our future We are #GenerationRestoration’, calls for global action for protecting the environment and rethinking the decisions, that could be detrimental to Mother Nature and her inhabitants. No doubt, this year’s World Environment Day (WED) campaign, focuses on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host the 2024 World Environment Day global celebrations. The Deterrent Effect of Climate Change The deterrent effect of climate change is multifaceted, impacting natural ecosystems, human health, food security, and global economies. Rising temperatures lead to more frequent and severe weather events, such as hurricanes, floods, and droughts, which devastate communities and disrupt livelihoods. Additionally, climate change accelerates the loss of biodiversity, jeopardising countless species and the ecological balance essential for human survival. From more frequent and severe natural disasters to rising sea levels threatening coastal communities, the consequences of our changing climate are already being felt around the globe. If left unchecked, climate change threatens to unleash catastrophic consequences, destabilizing economies, displacing millions, and unravelling the fabric of life as we know it. Addressing climate change requires a concerted global effort and the implementation of sustainable practices at all levels of society – a commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, (Goal 13) which the world has pledged for 2030. The following are some measures to help in mitigating the impacts of climate change: Transition to Renewable Energy Shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydroelectric power can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.” Mahatma Gandhi’s poignant insight underscores the urgent need for humanity to transition away from fossil fuels towards sustainable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. By harnessing these renewable resources, we can mitigate the harmful effects of climate change driven by greenhouse gas emissions. Gandhi’s words resonate profoundly in the context of our current environmental challenges, emphasising the importance of prioritising the collective well-being of our planet over individual greed and short-term gains. Embracing renewable energy not only offers a path toward reducing our carbon footprint but also aligns with a more equitable and responsible stewardship of Earth’s resources, ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come. Enhancing Energy Efficiency Implementing energy-efficient technologies and practices in industries, transportation and households can lower energy consumption and reduce emissions. Environmentalist Vandana Shiva emphasises, “We are either going to sustain ourselves in harmony with nature, or we are going to perish.” Reforestation and Afforestation Planting trees and restoring forests are vital for absorbing CO2 and maintaining biodiversity. India’s efforts in reforestation, such as the Green India Mission, aim to increase forest cover and enhance ecosystem services. Sustainable Agriculture Adopting sustainable agricultural practices, such as organic farming and agroforestry, can reduce the environmental footprint of food production. Indian agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan advocated, “If conservation of natural resources goes wrong, nothing else will go right.” Public Awareness and Education Educating communities about climate change and promoting environmentally responsible behaviours can foster a culture of sustainability. As renowned Indian environmentalist and founder of the Centre for Science and Environment, Sunita Narain asserts, “We need to talk about climate change in ways that matter to people.” Fortunately, there is hope on the horizon. Across the world, individuals, communities, and governments are coming together to confront the environmental crisis head-on. Grassroots movements are mobilizing people to take action in their communities, from planting trees to cleaning up polluted waterways. Activists are raising awareness and holding polluters accountable for their actions, demanding meaningful change to protect our planet for future generations. Moreover, initiatives such as the “Clean Ganga Project”, initiated by the Government of India, aim to rejuvenate the Ganges River by reducing pollution and promoting sustainable practices along its banks. This project involves the construction of sewage treatment plants, river surface cleaning, and the development of riverfronts to prevent contamination. The initiative not only addresses water pollution but also aims to restore the ecological balance of one of India’s most vital water bodies. Globally, the ‘Paris Agreement’, adopted in 2015 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), represents a landmark global effort to combat climate change. The agreement aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to keep it below 1.5 degrees Celsius. Countries around the world have committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing resilience to climate impacts through nationally determined contributions (NDCs). However, the fight to protect our environment is far from over. It requires a collective effort on a scale never before seen in human history. It demands that we rethink our relationship with the natural world and recognize that we are but one part of a vast and interconnected web of life. It requires us to embrace sustainability, innovation, and cooperation as we chart a course towards a brighter, more sustainable future. In the face of daunting challenges, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed or hopeless. Yet, we must remember that every action, no matter how small, has the power to make a difference. Whether it’s reducing our carbon footprint, supporting conservation efforts, or advocating for environmental policies, each of us has a role to play in the fight to protect our planet. Nature is not just a resource to be exploited; it is a source of wonder, beauty, and life itself. It is up to us to safeguard this precious inheritance for future generations and ensure that the wonders of the natural world endure for centuries to come. The fight to protect our environment is a battle for our collective future, and it is one that we cannot afford to lose. To conclude, it is important to reflect on what Mahatma Gandhi had said about protecting Mother Earth. Gandhiji said, “If Earth is not we are not. I feel nearer to God by feeling Him through the Earth. In bowing to the Earth, I at once realise my indebtedness to Him, and, if I am a worthy child of that Mother, I shall at once reduce myself to dust and rejoice in establishing kinship with not only the lowliest of human beings but also with the lowest forms of creation whose fate-reduction to dust I have to share with them.” This profound statement encapsulates the essence of environmental stewardship and the need for sustainable development. As we face the pressing issue of climate change, it is imperative to adopt sustainable practices to protect our environment and secure the future for coming generations.

• Climate Change and Green Economy

Temperatures smash records 12 months in a row

Every month over the past year has seen temperatures break previous records, in what the director of the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) calls a "shocking" 12-month streak. Temperatures in May broke records for the 12th month in a row, reaching 1.52 degrees Celsius (2.74 F) above preindustrial levels, according to C3S data released on Wednesday. that marks the 11th month that temperatures have climbed beyond 1.5 degrees above preindustrial levels. "While this sequence of record-breaking months will eventually be interrupted, the overall signature of climate change remains and there is no sign in sight of a change in such a trend," C3S director Carlo Buontempo said in the report. In 2015, governments agreed to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, while pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees as part of the Paris Climate Agreement. Average global temperatures over the past 12 months reached 1.63 degrees above levels measured from 1850 to 1900, before industrialization. However, it does not mean the 1.5 limit is broken – average temperatures are measured over decades rather than individual years. So far, the global average temperatures rise is estimated to be 1.2 - 1.3 degrees. Human-driven warming The year 2023 was the hottest on record, with temperatures fueled by climate change, which is driven by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, but also influenced by the naturally occurring El Nino phenomenon, which typically increases temperatures. Still, the UN's World Meteorological Organization said in a report, also released on Wednesday, that at least one year would likely exceed 1.5 degrees above preindustrial levels by 2028. "For the past year, every turn of the calendar has turned up the heat. Our planet is trying to tell us something, but we don't seem to be listening," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. "In the case of climate, we are not the dinosaurs, we are the meteor. We are not only in danger, we are the danger. But we are also the solution." Global warming is leading to more extreme weather patterns, with climate change linked to longer and hotter heat waves, heavier rainfall in some places, and the conditions driving droughts and wildfires in others. In India, recent weeks have seen unrelenting heat waves, with temperatures soaring to about 50 degrees Celsius in some parts, killing at least 50 people, causing a spike in heat strokes, and forcing several schools to close across the country. That has particularly had an impact on the informal labor sector, which constitutes about 90% of the workforce in India. Front-line workers, laborers and farmers often have no access to cooling systems such as air conditioning, and are unable to avoid the extreme heat, Avantika Goswami, the program manager on climate change at India's Centre for Science and Environment, told DW. "They are absolutely exposed to the elements," she said. "Heat stress is not just a huge productivity challenge in terms of workforce and the consequent economic impacts, but also a huge public health crisis." Most-vulnerable populations affected In Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, rainfall was estimated to be twice as likely and up to 6% heavier as a result of global warming, according to climate attribution scientists, who study the links between extreme weather and climate change. The rainfall led to severe flooding, which affected an area the size of the United Kingdom, and displaced about 600,000 people.

• Urban Lab

உலக சுற்றுச்சூழல் தினம் இந்திய பெருநகரங்களில் சென்னை தான் வெப்பம் மிகுந்த நகரம்(நரகம்)

Urban Lab of the Centre for Science and Environment செய்த ஆய்வில்,2011ம் ஆண்டிற்குப் பின்,இந்திய பெருநகரங்களில்,சென்னையில் தான் சராசரி கோடைக்கால வெப்பம் மிக அதிகமாக 37.4°C என்ற அளவில் உள்ளது. சென்னை, கடற்கரைக்கு அருகில் உள்ளதால்,கோடை காலத்தில் ஒப்பீட்டு ஈரப்பத அளவு(Relative Humidity) அதிகம் இருப்பதால், இந்திய பெருநகரங்களிலேயே, சென்னையில் தான் வெப்ப குறியீடு(Heat index)அதிகமாக இருப்பதும்,அதனால் சென்னையின் வெப்பக் குறியீடு 6.9°C என்ற அளவில் அதிகமாக இருந்து மக்களுக்கு அதிக பாதிப்பை ஏற்படுத்துவதும் கள உண்மையாக உள்ளது. இந்த ஆய்வில்,கோடைக்கால வெப்பம் 2001-11, 2014-23 கால கட்டத்தில், டெல்லி,மும்பை,கொல்கத்தா,ஹைதராபாத்,பெங்களூரு,சென்னை போன்ற பெருநகரங்களில் ஒப்பிடப்பட்டது.(2011-23 இடைப்பட்ட காலம்.) கோடைக் காலத்தில் சென்னையின் சராசரி வெப்பம் கடந்த 10 ஆண்டுகளில்,0.4°C அதிகரித்துள்ளது. 2001-10- 2014-23 இடைப்பட்ட காலத்தில் ஒப்பீட்டு ஈரப்பதம் 5% அதிகரித்துள்ளது. மார்ச்-ஏப்ரல் 2024ல் சராசரி வெப்பம்,2014-23 வருடத்தை ஒப்பிடுகையில்,1°C என அதிகரித்துள்ளது. ஒப்பீட்டு ஈரப்பதத்தின் காரணமாக,சென்னையின் வெப்பக் குறியீடு சராசரியாக 6.3°C அதிகரித்துள்ளது. சென்னையின் வெப்பக் குறியீடும்(Heat Index)5%மேல் அதிகரித்துள்ளது. தற்போது 41°Cக்கு அதிகமான வெப்பக் குறியீட்டு நாட்கள்,2001-10 வருடங்களை ஒப்பிடுகையில்,3 மடங்கு அதிகரித்துள்ளது. மழைக்காலம்(Monsoon),மழைக்காலத்திற்கு முந்தைய காலத்தில்,2°C வெப்பக் குறியீடு உயர்ந்து மக்களுக்கு அசௌகர்யம் அதிகரித்துள்ளது. வெப்பக் குறியீட்டால் ஏற்படும் அசௌகர்யம் மழைக்காலம்,அதற்கு முந்தைய காலத்தில் உள்ள இயல்பான வேறுபாடு சென்னையில் மறைந்து வருகிறது. இந்த 2 காலங்களில் ஏற்படும் அசௌகர்யம் அதிகரித்தும்,ஒரே மாதிரியாகவும் உள்ளது. இரவு நேரங்களில்,நிலப்பரப்பு வெப்பம் குறைவதும் தற்போது நிகழ்வதில்லை. வெப்பம் குறைவது 5% நடக்காமல் போகிறது. சென்னையில்,நகர்ப்புற வெப்பத் தீவு (Urban Heat Island Effect)பாதிப்பு அதிகமாக உள்ளது. சென்னை நகரின் மைய வெப்பம் பகல் நேரத்தில்,சுற்றுப்புற புறநகர் பகுதிகளை விட 0.8°C அதிகமாகவும்,இரவு நேரங்களில் 0.9°C அதிகமாகவும் உள்ளது. வெப்ப குறியீடு- நகரம் 36.5° C -கொல்கத்தா 34.3° C -மும்பை 32.2° C -டெல்லி 29.3°C -ஹைதராபாத் 26.9°C -பெங்களூரு சென்னையிலோ,அது மிக அதிகமாக 37.4°C என உள்ளது. சென்னையின் வெப்பம் அதிகரிக்க முக்கிய காரணம். கட்டடங்களின் பரப்பு(Built-up area) கடந்த 20 ஆண்டுகளில் 2 மடங்கு அதிகரித்துள்ளது. 2003ல் 30.7%இருந்த கட்டடப்பரப்பு,2023ல் 73.5%ஆக அதிகரித்துள்ளது. அதே காலகட்டத்தில்,சென்னையின் பசுமை பரப்பு 34%ல் இருந்து,20.3%ஆக குறைந்துள்ளது. இந்தியாவிலேயே,பசுமை பரப்பு மிக அதிகமாக சென்னையில் குறைந்துள்ளது. கொல்கத்தாவில் கட்டடப்பரப்பு 10% மட்டுமே உயர்ந்துள்ளது. ஹைதராபாத்தில், கடந்த 20 ஆண்டுகளில் பசுமை பரப்பு 2 மடங்காக அதிகரித்துள்ளது. சென்னையின் “வளர்ச்சி”என்பது அதன் பசுமை பரப்பு + நீர்நிலைகளை காவு வாங்கியுள்ளது என்பதே வேதனையான உண்மை. சென்னையின் பசுமை பரப்பு 12% என்ற அளவில் உள்ளது. பெங்களூரு,கொல்கத்தா,மும்பை,டெல்லி போன்ற இடங்களில் அது 20%ஆக உள்ளது. ஐரோப்பிய நாடுகளில்,நகரங்களில் பசுமை பரப்பு 30% ஆகவும்,சிங்கப்பூரில்,அது 47%ஆகவும் உள்ளது. சென்னையின் ஒப்பீட்டு ஈரப்பதம் அதிகம் என்பதால்,வியர்வை வாயிலாக உடல் குளிர்ச்சி ஏற்படுவது தடைப்படுகிறது. சென்னையின் நகர்ப்புற வெப்பத்தீவு பாதிப்பிற்கு (Urban Heat Island Effect)இங்கு பயன்படுத்தப்படும் குளிர்விப்பான்(Ac)+பிற இயந்திரங்கள் வாயிலாக கழிவாக வெளியேறும் வெப்பமும் முக்கிய காரணமாக உள்ளது. கோடைக் காலத்தில்,35-50% ஆற்றல் பயன்பாடு குளிர்விப்பான்களை இயக்க சென்னையில் பயன்படுத்தப்படுகிறது. Ac பயன்பாட்டால் உள்ளே வெப்பம் குறைந்தும்,வெளியே வெப்பம் அதிகமாவதும் தவிர்க்க முடியாததால், வெளிவெப்பம் சென்னையில் அதிகமாகிறது. குளிர்விப்பான்களை 25°C அளவில் மட்டும் இயக்குவதும்,குளிர்விப்பான்களின் திறனை அதிகப்படுத்துவதும்(Energy Efficient)நகர்ப்புற வெப்பத் தீவு பாதிப்பை 1.5°C வரை குறைக்க உதவும். கட்டடங்களின் வடிவமைப்பு,பசுமை கட்டடப் பொருட்களின் பயன்பாடு மூலமும்,(Green building codes) நகர்ப்புற வெப்பத்தீவு பாதிப்பை 3°C வரை குறைக்க முடியும். சென்னையின் பசுமை பரப்பை 12%ல் இருந்து 25% ஆக உயர்த்தினால்,நகர்ப்புற வெப்பத்தீவு பாதிப்பை 1.5°C வரை குறைப்பதோடு,அவை 10% கார்பன் உமிழ்வையும் உள்வாங்கும் என்பதால், சென்னை மாஸ்டர் பிளான் 3ல் பசுமை பரப்பை அனைத்து பகுதிகளிலும் அமைக்க திட்டங்கள் தேவை. Sustainable Urban Development by UN Habitat பரிந்துரையின் படி அனைத்து குடிமகன்களின் வீட்டிலிருந்து 400 மீட்டர் தொலைவில்,பசுமை பரப்பு இருக்க வேண்டும். வீட்டின் மேற்கூரையில் வெள்ளை நிறம் இருப்பதன் மூலம் வெப்பத்தை 1-2°C வரை குறைக்க முடியும். அண்ணா பல்கலைக் கழகம் மேற்கொண்ட ஆய்வில்,தமிழகத்தில் வெப்பஅலைகளின் தாக்கம்,இனி வரும் காலங்களில் 2 மடங்காக உயரும் எனத் தெரியவந்துள்ள நிலையில்,தமிழக திட்டக் கமிசன் 2023ல் அரசிற்கு வெப்ப பாதிப்பை கட்டுப்படுத்த அறிக்கை அளித்தும்,அரசு அதை பொதுவெளியில் வைக்கவில்லை. Climate Action Plan, சென்னையில் இருப்பது வரவேற்கத்தக்கது. தமிழகத்தின் அனைத்து நகரங்களுக்கும் Heat Action Plan ஐ தயாரித்து விரைவில் அதை நடைமுறைப்படுத்த வேண்டும். சில வெப்ப வரைபடங்களின் ஆய்வுப்படி, சென்னை புறநகர் பகுதிகளைக் காட்டிலும் சென்னையின் வெப்பம் 2-4°C வரை அதிகரித்து காணப்படும் எனத் தெரியவந்துள்ளது. (புறநகர் பகுதியில்,40°C வெப்பம் இருந்தால்,சென்னையின் மையப் பகுதியில் வெப்பம் 42-44°C வரை இருக்க முடியும்.) இந்தியாவில் வெப்பஅலை குறித்தான விளக்கம்- கடலோரப் பகுதிகளில்,அதிகபட்ச வெப்பம் 37°Cக்கு அதிகமாக இருந்தாலோ,அல்லது இயல்பான வெப்பத்தை விட 4.5°C அதிகமாக இருப்பது. சுருக்கமாக, சென்னயின் வெப்பக் குறியீடு இந்தியாவிலேயே பெருநகரங்களில் அதிகமிருப்பதை கருத்தில் கொண்டு சென்னையில் தேவையான மாற்றங்களை (ஆலைக் கழிவுகளை கட்டுப்படுத்தி காற்று மாசுபாட்டை கட்டுப்படுத்துவது பசுமைக் குடி வாயுக்களின் அளவை குறைத்து,வெப்ப பாதிப்பை கட்டுக்குள் வைக்க உதவும்.) கொண்டு வந்து மக்களை காப்பது,இந்தியாவின் பிற இடங்களிலும்,வெப்ப உயர்வை கட்டுப்படுத்த முன்மாதிரியாக இருக்கும் என்பதை அரசு உணர்ந்து செயல்பட வேண்டும். சமீபத்தில் சென்னையில் ஒரு நாள் மின்தேவை வெப்பஅலையின் காரணமாக 100 மில்லியன் யூனிட்டுகளை தாண்டியுள்ளது.! நெருக்கமான கட்டடங்களும்,தார் சாலைகளும் வெப்பத்தை உயர்த்தும் என்பதால்,பசுமை பரப்புகளை அதிகமாக உருவாக்குவதே முக்கிய செயல்பாடாக சென்னையில் இருக்க வேண்டும்.

• Director General Office

10 Inspiring Indian Environmentalists Shaping a Greener Future

Our planet, Mother Earth, is a wonderful place to live, but it needs our help to stay healthy. Every year, more than a million people take part in Environment Day to fight problems like pollution and deforestation. By doing things like picking up litter and planting trees, we can make our world a happier and healthier place to live. The list highlightsTen Indian Environmentalists who are working hard to make our world cleaner and better. From business leaders to people who fight for causes, these environmentalists have shown, they really care about our environment and our planet. . Sunita Narain, Indian environmentalist and political activist Sunita Narain has been at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) since 1982, now as its boss. She’s a big voice for nature and got a top Indian award in 2005. She’s also known for saving water and got a big prize for that too. In 2005, she led a group to save tigers after they disappeared from a place calledSariska. She’s also helped the government with climate change and cleaning up rivers. She wrote important reports in the past, talked aboutIndia’s environment and how to make villages greener. Her latest report in 2012 was about water and pollution in Indian cities.

• Climate Change and Green Economy

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Climate Action Network held a press briefing at the UNFCCC Climate Conference in Bonn focusing on Climate Finance, Loss and Damage and Global Stocktake The speakers were: Avantika Goswami, Climate Change Programme Manager for the Centre for Science and Environment India Harjeet Singh, Global Engagement Director from Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative Marine Pouget, Policy Advisor for Global Governance from Climate Action Network France

• Environment Education

Didwin School को मुख्यमंत्री रोलिंग ट्राफी अवार्ड

राजकीय वरिष्ठ माध्यमिक पाठशाला डिडवीं को भू-प्रबंधन श्रेणी में राज्य स्तरीय पर्यावरण दिवस पर गेयटी थिएटर शिमला में सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एन्वायरमेंट नई दिल्ली तथा पर्यावरण विज्ञान एवं प्रौद्योगिकी विभाग शिमला द्वारा आयोजित समारोह में मुख्यमंत्री रोलिंग ट्राफी से स मानित किया गया है। कार्यक्रम के मु यातिथि पर्यावरण विभाग के अध्यक्ष प्रबोध सक्सेना रहे तथा अन्य अधिकारी वर्ग भी उपस्थित रहे। स्कूल की ग्रीन स्कूल प्रोग्राम कोऑर्डिनेटर पूर्णिमा कुमारी ने गेयटी थिएटर शिमला में मुख्यमंत्री रोलिंग ट्राफी हासिल की। बता दें कि पर्यावरण विज्ञान एवं प्रौद्योगिकी विभाग शिमला के ग्रीन कॉर्प के कोऑर्डिनेटर रवि शर्मा ने हाल ही में स्कूल को जानकारी दी थी कि सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एन्वायरमेंट दिल्ली द्वारा करवाए गए सर्वे में राज्य स्तर पर राजकीय वरिष्ठ माध्यमिक पाठशाला डिडवीं को ग्रीन स्कूल प्रोग्राम ऑडिट में बेहतरीन प्रदर्शन करने पर भू प्रबंधन श्रेणी में मु यमंत्री रोलिंग ट्रॉफी से स मानित किया गया। इस उपलब्धि के लिए प्रारंभिक शिक्षा उपनिदेशक हमीरपुर अशोक कुमार ने विद्यालय की प्रधानाचार्या शैली शर्मा, इको क्लब प्रभारी पूर्णिमा कुमारी , छात्रों, स्कूल प्रबंधन समिति और स्कूल के सभी शिक्षकों और गैर शिक्षक वर्गों को बधाई दी।

• Director General Office

भीषण गर्मी से राहत के लिए शहरों की प्लानिंग में ग्रीन और ब्लू एरिया का रखना होगा खास ध्यान : सुनीता नारायण

• Urban Lab

Ekstremalne upały w Indiach. Zmarło ponad 100 osób, cierpią także zwierzęta

Indie doświadczają rekordowej fali upałów. Choć na wysokie temperatury wpływ miały układy baryczne, to bez globalnego ocieplenia tak ekstremalne zjawiska nie byłyby tam możliwe. Według ekspertów sytuacja oznacza, że takie kraje jak Indie czeka kryzys zdrowia publicznego. I choć przez Polskę przechodzi aktualnie fala burz i opadów to powodów do zmartwienia nie brakuje także na naszej szerokości geograficznej. Ponad sto osób nie żyje przez rekordowe upały w Indiach Wciąż brakuje dokładnych danych o tym, ile osób zmarło w wyniku działania ekstremalnie wysokich temperatur, sięgających niemal 50 st. C. Wiemy, że jednego dnia zmarły co najmniej 33 osoby, ale nie ma danych dla całego miesiąca. Upały w Indiach nie są nowością, jednak naukowcy podkreślają, że przez zmiany klimatyczne upały są dłuższe, częstsze i bardziej intensywne. W poniedziałek 3 czerwca CNN podało, że w ciągu 10 dni z powodu upałów zmarło co najmniej 77 osób. To oznacza, że przez falę gorąca zmarło już ponad sto osób. Z kolei Reuters podaje, że ponad 25 tys. osób doznało udaru cieplnego w ostatnim okresie. Ekstremalne temperatury dotykają też zwierząt. – Prawie 40 małp utonęło w studni w dystrykcie Palamu we wschodnim stanie Jharkhand, gdzie jeziora wyschły z powodu upału – donosi portal naukowy phys.org. Temperatura powierzchni lądu sięgała nawet 65 st. C. Upały tak poważne, że reaguje Sąd Najwyższy w Radżastanie W stolicy Indii, Delhi pod koniec maja odnotowano rekordowe 52,9 st. C. W innych miastach temperatury także były bardzo wysokie, między 46 a 49 st. C. Sytuacja stała się na tyle poważna, że spotkało się to z reakcją sądu w zachodnim stanie Radżastan. Indyjski sąd nalegał, aby rząd ogłosił stan nadzwyczajny w związku z trwającą w kraju falą upałów, powołując się na setki zgonów. Sąd Najwyższy w Radżastanie stwierdził, że władze nie podjęły odpowiednich kroków, aby chronić społeczeństwo przed upałem. – Z powodu ekstremalnych warunków pogodowych w postaci fali upałów w tym miesiącu życie straciły setki osób. Nie mamy planety B, na którą moglibyśmy się przenieść. Jeśli teraz nie podejmiemy rygorystycznych działań, na zawsze stracimy szansę na ujrzenie rozkwitu naszych przyszłych pokoleń – oświadczył Sąd Najwyższy. Sąd nakazał rządowi stanowemu utworzenie funduszy odszkodowawczych dla bliskich osób, które zmarły z powodu upałów. Czytaj także: Upały głównym rozgrywającym letnich igrzysk? „Poważnie podchodzimy do obaw” Na upały w Indiach wpływ mogły mieć wzorce pogodowe Jak podają indyjskie służby meteo, w tym roku falę upałów mogły wzmocnić wzorce układów barycznych, które utrudniły dostęp dla chłodniejszego i wilgotniejszego powietrza znad Morza Śródziemnego. Suche i ciepłe masy powietrza nacierające znad Pakistanu i Afganistanu wędrując do północnych Indii, nie zostały stłumione. W kwietniu i na początku maja sytuacja była inna, dzięki czemu w Indiach temperatury nie były aż tak wysokie, co nie znaczy, że nie były niskie. To jednak nie oznacza, że za ekstremalne upały obarczać należy takie, a nie inne wzorce pogodowe. Tak wysokie temperatury w Indiach, to nie pierwsza taka sytuacja. Już od kilku lat kraj zmaga się sięgającymi prawie 50 st. C temperaturami w okresie przedmonsunowym. Od Izraela i Syrii na zachodzie po Tajlandię, Wietnam i Filipiny na wschodzie w południowej części Azji przez wiele dni panowały temperatury znacznie przekraczające 40 st. C. Działo się to w kwietniu i w maju. To ewidentnie wpływ globalnego ocieplenia. Bez globalnego ocieplenia sytuacja nie miałaby miejsca World Weather Attribution, to instytucja naukowa zajmująca się skalą wpływu globalnego ocieplenia na dane zjawiska pogodowe na świecie. Badacze szacują, jak bardzo prawdopodobny jest wpływ ocieplającej się klimatu np. na fale upałów. Naukowcy przeanalizowali to, co działo się w południowej części Azji w kwietniu tego roku. – Stwierdzamy, że te ekstremalne temperatury są teraz około 45 razy bardziej prawdopodobne i o 0,85 st. C wyższe. Wyniki te są zgodne z naszymi poprzednimi badaniami, w których stwierdziliśmy, że zmiany klimatu spowodowały, że ekstremalne upały były około 30 razy bardziej prawdopodobne i o 1 st. C gorętsze – podaje w swoim raporcie World Weather Attribution. Innymi słowy, takie fale upałów, jakie doświadczyła południowa część Azji w kwietniu, nie byłaby możliwa w takiej skali bez globalnego ocieplenia. To samo dotyczy też tego, co działo się pod koniec maja w Indiach. Bez antropogenicznej zmiany klimatu w Delhi nie zanotowanoby 50 st. C. Szansa na to byłaby zdecydowanie mniejsza. Jeśli już, to takie upały zdarzałyby się raz na kilkadziesiąt lat, a nie co kilka lat. World Weather Attribution stwierdziła też, że jeśli świat ociepli się o 2 stopnie, to prawdopodobieństwo wystąpienia ekstremalnych upałów wzrośnie jeszcze bardziej, dwukrotnie w Azji Zachodniej i pięciokrotnie na Filipinach. Ocieplenie klimatu sprawia, że wszystkie fale upałów są teraz silniejsze Takie informacje z międzynarodowej instytucji potwierdzają sami indyjscy klimatolodzy. Wcześniej upały w Indiach w okresie kwiecień-maj notowano regularnie. Były elementem stałym dla klimatu holocenu i regionu, przez który przecież przechodzi zwrotnik. Dziś tak nie jest. Jak mówi Krishna AchutaRao, klimatolog z Indyjskiego Instytutu Technologii w Delhi, czas trwania i zasięg fal upałów w Indiach z ostatnich dwóch lat stały się niezwykłe. – Trzy lata z rzędu są niezwykłe, ale zgodne z tym, czego oczekujemy od zmian klimatu – stwierdził. Globalne ocieplenie jest zjawiskiem, które można porównać do sytuacji stopniowego przesuwania orbity Ziemi w kierunku Słońca. Jest więc oczywiste, że to będzie oznaczało coraz wyższe temperatur, bo gazy cieplarniane coraz skuteczniej zatrzymują ciepło w atmosferze. Im więcej dwutlenku węgla i metanu, tym więcej energii cieplnej znajduje się w oceanach i w atmosferze. – Każda fala upałów na świecie jest obecnie cieplejsza i bardziej prawdopodobna z powodu zmiany klimatu – powiedziała Mariam Zachariah, klimatolog z Imperial College w Londynie. Ekstremalne upały w Indiach. Na horyzoncie poważny kryzys zdrowia publicznego Teraz upały w Indiach zelżały, choć to słowo należy raczej traktować na wyrost. Nadal północna części Indii doświadcza temperatur na poziomie 42-46 st. C w zależności o miejsca. W niektórych miastach, takich jak Kalkuta na wschodzie kraju temperatury utrzymują się na poziomie 34-39 st. C. Problem w tym, że w takich miejscach panuje wysoka wilgotność powietrza, przez co odczuwalna temperatura jest dużo wyższa. Maksymalne dzienne temperatury w indyjskich miastach dla 2 czerwca 2024 Eksperci zajmujący się problematyką globalnego ocieplenia ostrzegają, że w przyszłości takie zdarzenia będą stanowiły poważne zagrożenie dla zdrowia publicznego, szczególnie w dużych aglomeracjach miejscach. Niekorzystny będzie efekt tzw. miejskiej wyspy ciepła. – Miasta są bardziej podatne na złożone skutki urbanizacji i zmian klimatycznych. Spodziewajmy się większej liczby cieplejszych dni, przedłużających się okresów suchych i mniej deszczowych, ponieważ warunki pogodowe będą się nadal zmieniać z powodu zwiększonej emisji gazów cieplarnianych przez człowieka – powiedziała Aarti Khosla, dyrektor instytutu badawczego Climate Trends Wrogiem wilgotne powietrze, noce bez ochłodzenia Temperatury letnie w Bombaju, Kalkucie, Bangaluru i Madras są wyższe. Średnia temperatura z ostatnich 10 lat wzrosła o 0,5 st. C w Bombaju, Bangaluru i Madras w porównaniu ze średnią z lat 2001-2010. O 0,2 stopnia wzrosła w Kalkucie. W przypadku Delhi i Hajdarabad jest inaczej, tam doszło do spadku średniej temperatury, odpowiednio o 0,6 st. i 0,9 st. C. Problem w tym, że we wszystkich tych miastach wzrosła wilgotność powietrza. Poza Bangaluru, w pozostałych pięciu megamiastach średnia wilgotność względna w lecie w ciągu dekady wzrosła o 5–10 proc. W Delhi, gdzie doszło do spadku średniej temperatury, nastąpił jednocześnie wzrost wilgotności o 8 proc. Same zaś temperatury także wzrosną w miarę dalszego ocieplania się klimatu, więc sytuacja jeszcze bardziej się pogorszy. Kolejnym problemem są temperatury nocne. Od lat obserwuje się, że noce w indyjskich miastach nie są specjalnie chłodne. Sprzyja temu właśnie globalne ocieplenie, ale też zjawisko betonozy w tak wielkich, wielomilionowych aglomeracjach. – Gorące noce są równie niebezpieczne, jak szczytowe temperatury w południe. Jeśli w nocy temperatury utrzymają się na wysokim poziomie, ludzie będą mieli niewielkie szanse na regenerację po upale w ciągu dnia. Badanie opublikowane w czasopiśmie Lancet Planetary Health wykazało, że ryzyko śmierci w wyniku nadmiernie gorących nocy wzrośnie w przyszłości prawie sześciokrotnie. Ta prognoza jest znacznie wyższa niż ryzyko śmiertelności w wyniku średniego dziennego ocieplenia sugerowane przez modele zmian klimatycznych – ostrzega Avikal Somvanshi, starszy menedżer programu w Urban Lab, CSE. Czytaj także: Rekordowe upały nawiedziły Indie i Pakistan. Jakie mogą być ich skutki? My też będziemy się męczyć Na koniec trzeba powiedzieć też, że nie tylko Indie mają problem. U nas oczywiście z racji położenia geograficznego takich temperatur nie będzie. Problem w tym, że temperatury na poziomie 33-36 st. C latem staną się normą, a nie jak wcześniej – wyjątkiem. Są to wartości dla nas bardzo uciążliwe, wręcz niebezpieczne. Szczególnie dla osób starszych, schorowanych oraz dla dzieci. Ilustracja. Liczba tropikalnych nocy w latach 1991-2022. Źródło: IMiGW. Nie tylko upały za dnia będą stanowiły problem. Tak samo, jak w Indiach, problemem będą temperatury nocne. Tak zwane tropikalne noce, kiedy temperatury nie spadają poniżej 20 stopni, są coraz większym problemem. Powyższe zestawienie map IMiGW pokazuje, że to zjawisko od lat narasta. Zjawisko miejskiej betonozy wzmacnia to zjawisko. Miasta szybko się nagrzewają za dnia, a nocą powoli się wychładzają. Nie pomaga to, że na naszych szerokościach geograficznych latem noce są krótkie. Czas na wychłodzenie miasta jest więc ograniczony. Wraz ze wzrostem dziennych temperatur, liczba tropikalnych nocy będzie się zwiększać. Wzrośnie liczba zgonów To przełoży się kryzys zdrowia publicznego i wzrost liczby zgonów. Przewiduje się, że do 2040 roku wzrost śmiertelności w czasie panowania najwyższy temperatur w Polsce wzrośnie o 36 proc. ogólnej liczby zgonów dziennych, a po 2040 roku śmiertelność wzrośnie nawet ponad 225 proc. w porównaniu do obecnej sytuacji. – W miastach w Polsce mieszka ponad 60 proc. ludzi, więc większość obywateli naszego kraju będzie podatna na skutki przegrzania, spowodowanego tymi wszystkimi czynnikami. Najpoważniejsze konsekwencje z tego tytułu spotkają osoby po 65. roku życia, dzieci, czy osoby cierpiące na przewlekłe choroby układu krążenia i układu oddechowego – zauważa na łamach Interii dr hab. Iwona Wagner z Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego. – Zdjęcie tytułowe: shutterstock/PradeepGaurs

• Down To Earth

Enduring hottest summers and highest temperatures

India endured its second hottest year on record in 2023 according to the latest annual publication released by Down to Earth (DTE) and Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment titled ‘State of Environment in Figures 2024’on May 31, 2024. According to DTE’s press release, India experienced its highest minimum temperature for December in 122 years, registering a notable anomaly of 1.71°C above normal in 2023, marked by remarkably warm winters, monsoons and post-monsoon periods. At least 102 weather stations across 26 states and Union Territories shattered their monthly highest 24-hour maximum temperature in 122 years. As per the report, 10 of these stations were in million-plus cities — Bengaluru, Jamshedpur, Kochi, Kota, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Visakhapatnam. Twenty-seven of the weather stations with record-breaking temperatures were in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu (9 each). Thirty-four of the weather stations with record-breaking 24-hour maximum temperatures were reported in September. The DTE analysis, based on data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for 2023, also showed that India recorded its hottest minimum temperature in 122 years in 2023. Temperature records — whether maximum, mean, or minimum — were consistently broken during the last six months of 2023. Except for October, minimum temperatures remained above normal in the other five months, with anomalies increasing from 0.57°C in July to 1.71°C in December. The country experienced its highest minimum temperature for December in 122 years, registering a notable anomaly of 1.71°C above normal. In the first four months of 2024, except for March, the average minimum temperatures remained above normal in three months — January, February and April — with anomalies of 0.97°C, 0.79°C and 0.88°C, respectively. The average minimum temperature in the southern peninsular region was above the normal during all first four months of 2024, revealed the trends released by the IMD in the monthly climate summaries, according to the DTE analysis. Thus, in 2024, the southern peninsular region consistently experienced its second-highest minimum temperature for all the four months in 122 years. The DTE release points out that India’s southern peninsula recorded ‘above normal’ average minimum temperature during the first four months of 2024, revealed the trends released by IMD in the monthly climate summaries. The region also consistently experienced its second-highest minimum temperature in 122 years during these 4 months. The rising maximum temperature and record breaking temperature reported from Delhi and other states is worrying. The trend for minimum temperature in 2023 and 2024 so far suggests a new normal for minimum temperatures, indicating that nights are becoming warmer. An India Today (IT) report warns that India faces record-breaking heatwave worsened by climate change. Extreme heat has forced schools to close early for the summer in India. Temperatures in at least 37 cities exceeded 45ºC and nighttime temperatures remained as high as 36ºC in some locations. There have been over 16,000 heat stroke cases and 60 heat-related deaths since March 2024, although this number is likely a huge underestimate, the report says. Last week, an outlier temperature above 52ºC was reported in Delhi, but this is still being evaluated and rechecked. City authorities have also warned of a risk of water shortages and the power grid tripping. Delhi’s city record of 49.2ºC from 2002 had been broken the day before, with temperatures reaching 49.9ºC on May 27, 2024. The IT report points out that climate change, predominantly caused by burning fossil fuels and exacerbated by human interference, is making heatwaves hotter and more likely to happen everywhere in the world, according to scientists who study how extreme events are changing. Cities are more vulnerable to the compounding effects of urbanisation and climate change. Quoting the IPCC, the IT report highlights that heatwaves that occurred once every 10 years without human-caused warming are now likely to occur 2.8 times more often (or once every 3.6 years) and are 1.5ºC warmer because of climate change caused by burning fossil fuels. Extreme heatwaves that occurred once every 50 years without human-caused warming are now likely to occur 4.8 times more often (or once every 10.4 years) and are 1.5ºC warmer. If emissions are not cut much faster than planned, they will become 2-3 times more common again.

• Sustainable Habitat

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana: The problem of quantity over quality

A house is much more than the four walls and roof which make it. In our society, it is also a symbol of dignity, security and well-being. With this in mind, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) or the ‘Housing for All Mission’ in 2015. The scheme has two parts— urban and rural. This assessment is focused on the urban component (PMAY-U). The aim of the scheme was to provide every household in the country with a pucca house with basic services such as piped water supply, sanitation and 24×7 electricity by the time the nation completes 75 years of its independence in 2022. The tenure of the scheme was extended to December 31, 2024 to complete houses already sanctioned till March 31, 2022. A house is much more than the four walls and roof which make it. A hefty investment of ₹8 lakh crore has been made in the scheme. Of this, nearly 25 percent (₹2 lakh crore) has been contributed by the Union government, 15 percent (₹1.23 lakh crore) by state governments, and as much as 60 percent (₹4.85 lakh crore) by the beneficiaries themselves (see Graph 1: Share of investment in PMAY-U). As of May 20, 2024, 11.4 million units have been grounded and 8.32 million units have been completed. The world’s largest public housing programme not only reduced the housing deficit in the country but also set a foundation for future housing programmes. Progress so far PMAY-U was launched with an aim to construct 18 million dwelling units for the economically weaker section (EWS) and low-income group (LIG). This aim was based on an estimate exercise carried out by the Technical Group on Urban Housing Shortage (TG-12) in 2012. Also read: Unregulated tourist influx: Kashmir dreads the final straw that will break the Himalayas’ back After years of conducting demand surveys in cities, the scheme set its target to 11.2 million units. A household which does not own a house or land anywhere in the country and belongs to EWS or LIG categories, can avail the benefits of the scheme. Andhra Pradesh (21.3 lakh), Uttar Pradesh (17.7 lakh), Maharashtra (13.6 lakh), Gujarat (10 lakh) and Madhya Pradesh (9.6 lakh) have sanctioned the highest number of dwelling units among all states and UTs. The scheme was launched with four verticals of implementation— Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP), In-Situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR), Credit-Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) and Beneficiary Led Construction/Enhancement (BLC). Under AHP, houses are constructed with private sector’s involvement and receive a Central assistance of ₹1.5 lakh per unit. Under the ISSR vertical, assistance of ₹1 lakh per unit is provided by the Union government to private developers to rehabilitate eligible slum dwellers in-situ. A hefty investment of ₹8 lakh crore has been made in the scheme. Under CLSS, an interest subsidy is provided to beneficiaries seeking housing loans. Under the BLC vertical, assistance of ₹1.5 lakh per unit is provided by the Union government to beneficiaries to construct or enhance their existing shelters. Also read: Photo essay: The coast, or what is left of it As of May 20, 2024, a whopping 63 percent of the total houses sanctioned were under the BLC vertical, followed by CLSS and AHP with 21 and 13 percent of total sanctions respectively. While the number of slum households in the country is around 14 million, only 3 percent of the total houses sanctioned fell under the ISSR vertical. It can be seen that a lot of Union government’s assistance has gone into supporting beneficiaries to construct or enhance their own house. Formal group housing clearly has less takers in comparison. This indicates that newly constructed formal housing may not be conducive to the requirements of the beneficiaries. It also raises questions about whether PMAY-U is actually improving the quality of life of its target population. Affordable rental housing amidst COVID-19 PMAY-U recognised and internalised a new housing typology during the Covid pandemic in 2020— affordable rental housing. This was done to address the millions of migrant workers and poor who were forced out of urban areas as they ran out of means to sustain themselves. Shelter was one of these means. The Union government launched the Affordable Rental Housing Complex (ARHC) scheme to categorically improve the quality of life of migrant workers and urban poor by enabling access to affordable shelter close to the workplace. Access to essential needs such as education, healthcare, water and sanitation have been included as crucial parameters. The strategy adopted for this scheme was to refurbish affordable housing units which had been lying vacant. So far, 83,534 such units have been identified. Of these, 5,648 have been converted into ARHCs, mainly in Chandigarh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir. Also read: Is Russia’s ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine responsible for the imminent global food security crisis? While this effort to address rental housing was undertaken after years of policy inaction, the volume of migrants and poor displaced due to Covid has raised concerns over the actual demand for affordable housing in our cities. This calls for fresh surveys that take into account parameters such as habitability, safety, overcrowding and so on. Newly constructed formal housing may not be conducive to the requirements of the beneficiaries. According to the scheme, rents are to be fixed by urban local bodies (ULBs) based on local surveys and will increase biennially by 8 percent, subject to a maximum gross increase of 20 percent over a period of five years from the date of signing the concession agreement. A few cities which have floated tenders for retrofitting of vacant government housing projects have disclosed rents. These rents range from ₹800 to ₹4,500. In order to see how feasible these rents are for the poor in the context of that particular city, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) evaluated the rent-to-value ratio for a few of the ARHC projects. This is the ratio of annual rent divided by the market price of that unit. The higher the ratio, the more exorbitant is the rent with respect to the market value of the dwelling unit. A benchmark was set by calculating the rent-to-value ratio of neighbourhoods in Mumbai and Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR)— two cities that reported the majority of vacant housing stock, house a majority of migrant workers, and are known for exorbitant rentals. While the rent-to-value ratio of Mumbai and Delhi-NCR came out to be 2.63, for cities under analysis it fell in a range of 1.24 to 5.73. Therefore, we can safely say that rents of ARHC projects in most cities are also not affordable. This issue needs to be addressed by urban local bodies. Rent authorities will be instrumental in doing so. Sustainable development through affordable housing Affordable housing is one of the key components of SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. According to UN-Habitat, well-planned and well-designed affordable housing can reduce the environmental footprint of cities and can be an important tool for climate proofing. The location and design of houses, along with their access to basic services, are crucial. CSE’s assessment reveals that most of the affordable housing is coming up at peripheral locations in cities. This is despite a mandatory condition in PMAY-U to earmark appropriate land for affordable housing in city master plans to avail support under the scheme. We can safely say that rents of ARHC projects in most cities are also not affordable. The reality is that there is a dearth of master plans for cities. Currently, 76.2 percent of the 7,953 census towns in India do not have master plans. However, due to this mandatory condition, cities are preparing or amending their master plans in an ad hoc manner. This is leading to selection of inappropriate locations with poor connectivity, thus increasing the economic and social cost of living.

• Environment Education

हिमाचल के पांच स्कूलों को ग्रीन स्कूल अवॉर्ड, तीन सरकारी स्कूल भी शामिल

हिमाचल प्रदेश के पांच स्कूलों को अपने परिसरो में पर्यावरण की बेहतरी के लिए ग्रीन स्कूल पुरस्कारों से नवाजा गया है। इनमें तीन सरकारी स्कूल भी शामिल हैं। पर्यावरण के क्षेत्र में कार्य करने वाली सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट (CSE) के ग्रीन स्कूल प्रोग्राम (GSP) के तहत स्कूलों की पर्यावरण व्यवस्था के आधार पर अलग-अलग वर्ग में इन स्कूलों को सम्मानित किया गया। विश्व पर्यावरण दिवस के उपलक्ष्य पर बुधवार को शिमला के गेयटी थियेटर में मुख्य सचिव प्रबोध सक्सेना ने ये पुरस्कार प्रदान किए। पर्यावरण के तय मानकों पर सोलन जिला के तीन स्कूलों ने सर्वश्रेष्ठ प्रदर्शन किया है। राजकीय वरिष्ठ माध्यमिक विद्यालय भटियां (सोलन), राजकीय वरिष्ठ माध्यमिक विद्यालय भोंट (शिमला), राजकीय वरिष्ठ माध्यमिक विद्यालय डिडवीं (हमीरपुर), पाइनग्रोव स्कूल धर्मपुर (सोलन) और जी़.एम.बी. स्कूल नालागढ़ (सोलन) को 2023-24 की मुख्यमंत्री रॉलिंग ट्राफियां प्रदान की गईं। इन श्रेणियों में मिला पुरस्कार सोलन के सरकारी स्कूल भटियां को येलो टू ग्रीन श्रेणी में चेंजमेकर स्कूल का पुरस्कार मिला है। यह सम्मान पर्यावरण सुधार के प्रति स्कूल की प्रतिबद्धता को दर्शाता है और पूरे राज्य के शैक्षणिक संस्थानों के लिए प्रेरणा का काम करता है। शिमला के सरकारी स्कूल भोंट को ग्रीन स्कूल कार्यक्रम में वेस्ट न्यूकमर अवार्ड से नवाजा गया है। सोलन के पाइन ग्रोव स्कूल धर्मपुर को उसके असाधारण अपशिष्ट प्रबंधन प्रथाओं के लिए ग्रीन स्कूल प्रोग्राम (जीएसपी) वेस्ट वॉरियर अवार्ड से सम्मानित किया गया है। हमीरपुर के सरकारी स्कूल डिडवीं ने भूमि संरक्षण और प्रबंधन में अपने उल्लेखनीय प्रयासों के लिए लैंड मैनेजर अवार्ड जीता, जो टिकाऊ भूमि उपयोग के प्रति अपनी प्रतिबद्धता को दर्शाता है। सोलन के जी़.एम.बी. स्कूल. नालागढ़ को सौर ऊर्जा का दोहन करने और नवीकरणीय समाधानों को बढ़ावा देने की अपनी पहल के लिए एनर्जी मैनेजर अवार्ड से सम्मानित किया गया, जो टिकाऊ ऊर्जा और कार्बन उत्सर्जन में कमी लाने में अग्रणी के रूप में अपनी भूमिका को रेखांकित करता है। सीएसई के पर्यावरण शिक्षा कार्यक्रम प्रबंधक नीरज कुमार ने बताया कि सीएसई का ग्रीन स्कूल प्रोग्राम एक पहल है जो स्कूलों के छात्रों और शिक्षकों को उनके परिसरों में पर्यावरण को अनुकूल बनाने के लिए प्रोत्साहित करता है। उन्होंने कहा कि स्कूलों को पर्यावरण के प्रति जागरूक करने के लिए ग्रीन स्कूल अवॉर्ड दिए जाते हैं। हिमाचल प्रदेश बीते 13 वर्षों से ग्रीन स्कूल कार्यक्रम में हिस्सा ले रहा है और अब तक इस कार्यक्रम में 800 से ज्यादा स्कूल अपनी भागीदारी कर चुके हैं। पिछले वर्ष 2023-24 में हिमाचल के 94 स्कूलों में इसमें हिस्सा लिया था। सभी विजेता स्कूल राज्य के अन्य स्कूलों के लिए अनुकरणीय मॉडल के तौर पर काम करते हैं। उन्होंने बताया कि जीएसपी-सीएम रॉलिंग ट्रॉफी की स्थापना 2017 में की गई थी जिसका उद्देश्य उन स्कूलों का सम्मान करना था, जिन्होंने स्टूडेंट्स को पर्यावरण-प्रबंधक बनाकर उसकी बेहतरी के लिए चेतना जगाने के लिए जीएसपी-ऑडिट में भागीदारी की थी।

• Director General Office

This is a World Environment Day with a difference, says Sunita Narain

“It is that day of the year, once again. June 5 is here, a day when all of us renew our pledge to protect the environment. But this year, the day has come with more meaning for us in India. A new government is preparing to take charge in the country, and we believe it is a time to recommit to an agenda of development — one which is inclusive and affordable and hence, sustainable for all. And June 5 is the appropriate date to make that commitment once again,” says Sunita Narain, director general, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in a new podcast and video released by CSE to mark the World Environment Day. Sunita Narain’s Call to Action “In my view, the agenda for the next government is the old one, but with a fundamental difference. This must be India’s agenda of development in and for the age of climate change. In this age of climate change, the list of priority action areas remains the same. We have unfinished business when it comes to virtually everything: from energy to sanitation, and from health to education. We know that the last government had schemes in place and budgets allocated for all these issues. But we also know that ensuring the welfare and well-being of people is a work in progress. A lot of work still needs to be done, and in areas that the last government said it had checked off in its to-do list. “This should not come as a surprise. India is a vast country, with a massive deficit in governance. The last mile for any government scheme is about making sure that it reaches people every time. This is now combined with the impact of climate change where every day, some or the other part of the country is being battered by at least one extreme weather event. This has huge implications for development programmes—unseasonal and extreme weather lead to more droughts, floods and loss of livelihoods, putting additional strain on the resources of the government. “This is why the future agenda must recognise that the imperative of development is about scale, speed and imagination, which takes into account the need to do development differently. We need a new imagination in the design of development schemes. “For long, governments have been caught between the welfare approach—which is often dismissed as a “handout” — and the capitalistic minimal government approach. In my view, this age of climate risk needs a new narrative. The government needs to rework and re-engineer development so that it is inclusive, affordable and, so, sustainable. This means reimagining the way we work in almost every sphere — from the supply of clean water, so that it is not resource- or capital-intensive, to the access to energy so that it is clean but, most importantly, affordable. This will require changes in design and then in delivery. We need a new development paradigm that can work for the Planet, but for this, it needs to work for every last person. This, then, is where we need the focus and attention of the new or old-new government. This is our common agenda. On water “The agenda for ‘clean water for all’ will require a focus on increasing the supply of water through rainwater harvesting and ensuring that the millions of groundwater systems are recharged; that our ponds and tanks are rejuvenated and their catchments protected. It also means rethinking the way cities draw water from longer and longer distances, which adds to loss of water and higher cost and is unaffordable. It requires stressing on the need to recycle every drop of wastewater so that we do not destroy our rivers; this in turn means redesigning our sewage systems so that they are affordable and sustainable. On air “Past governments have done much to combat this terrible problem of bad air, which is taking a toll of our health. But much more needs to be done. This is where we need to scale up the agenda of clean energy – reduce pollution because of coal-based power plants; shift to cleaner sources of fuel, including natural gas; and of course, reduce the bulge of motorisation in our cities. This needs scaling up public transport — not just one or even a 1,000 buses, but much more to integrate the right to walk and the right to cycle with the right to take a bus or metro. It an idea that requires reimagining cities so that people can move, not vehicles. On energy “Clean energy is about providing access to the last person – the woman who still cooks using biomass as fuel, which adds to her health crisis. The last government’s subsidised LPG programme – called Ujjwala – was important as it was a call from the Prime Minister to take the subsidy from the middle classes and give it to the poor. But as we know, cooking energy is a wicked problem: the need of a woman for clean energy is not the highest of priorities of household expenditures – stretched as they are. So, the refill of cylinders did not happen. This is why the government needs a new approach which will provide clean energy to the poorest through a variety of options, including solar energy-based mini-grids and targeted subsidies. This is why we need to scale up our clean energy portfolio, not just in terms of investment in infrastructure but also generation. We know that renewable energy still supplies 9-11 per cent of the total electricity requirements in the country. This needs to be scaled up and quickly. On food and nutrition “We need investments in food that is nutritious, that does not come at the cost of land and water degradation, and that does not add to toxins in our soil or our bodies. But most importantly, food that will put money in the hands of farmers. This is where the agenda of investment in local water systems to local industry will be crucial. “What is important to note is that most cases, government has schemes and budgets. What we need is to learn from what is working and what is not. We need transformational action; and for this we need to ensure implementation – and as I said, with drive and obsession. “To make all this possible, we need two next-generation reforms. One, we need to strengthen our ground-level institutions, where local people take part. We need participatory democracy to make development programmes work. It is now over 30 years since the country passed the 74th and 75th amendments to the Constitution to empower people’s institutions—the Panchayati Raj in rural areas and the municipal system for urban India. We have also experimented with deepening democracy through strengthening of gram sabhas or village assemblies. But all this is unfinished work. We have much more to do to give control over natural resources to village and city governments. We need them to manage funds and schemes; to create green jobs; to invest in natural resources for livelihoods. We need to celebrate the noise of democracy. “We also need to strengthen institutions of governance for new India. Over the past few years, most conventional institutions have been deliberately, or by sheer neglect, allowed to decay. But the fact is governance and regulations needs institutions that can apply deterrence with accountability and have the ability to navigate inconvenient and tough decisions. “Two, even more tomorrow, than today, governance will need increased feedback and accountability. This needs tolerance for voices that differ. It is important to understand that alternative information is not dissent or targeted criticism. The more we learn about what is working and what is not, the more governance improves. Currently, most differing voices have been silenced—perhaps not deliberately but through the unsaid that makes it more acceptable to be acceptable if you have said things that the powers want to hear. It is like an echo chamber where only cheerleaders thrive. In my view, this only makes a government poorer—they hear nothing and learn little. “Rebuilding trust is key—not just for schemes to succeed but also for societies to thrive. This has to be the agenda going forward. This is the time for change; for society to build green because it is inclusive; to build growth, because it is sustainable.

• 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.