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The mentioned tamil script is a motivational story for children in tamil. The story about Sunita narain's life achievements.
The mentioned tamil script is a motivational story for children in tamil. The story about Sunita narain's life achievements.
Patna: Amid climate change posing a serious threat, an alarming revelation about the Himalayan region in India has come to light. Between 2013 and 2022, the Himalayan region accounted for 44% of all the disasters reported in the country. Floods, landslides and thunderstorms – 192 in all – constituted the bulk of these incidents. In fact, the cloudbursts and torrential rains experienced in the region in 2023 are curtain-raisers to a future that is already upon us, and will become more pronounced with every passing year. This assessment of the Himalayan region and the impact of climate change that it is encountering is a key focus of the recently released State of India’s Environment 2024 (SOE) report. The report is prepared and released every year by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down To Earth magazine. This year, the SOE 2024 (as the report is referred to in short) was unveiled at the annual conclave ‘Anil Agarwal Dialogue’, in Nimli, Alwar, in Rajasthan on February 28. The Dialogue is organised every year by CSE, the New Delhi-based think tank. Between April 2021 and April 2022, a total of 41 incidents of landslides were recorded across the country: 38 of these happened in Himalayan states, with Sikkim witnessing the highest number (11), says the report. Kiran Pandey, head of CSE’s Environment Resources Unit, writes in the report: “A close look at the data shows an uncomfortable trend. In recent decades, these disasters are occurring more frequently and getting more severe, causing a significant loss of life and damage to property.” The worst long-term – and relentless -- damage is being seen in the upper reaches of the Himalayas. The rise in average surface temperatures in the Himalayas is causing glaciers to melt rapidly and retreat at an accelerating rate. The Hindu Kush Himalayas has seen a 65% faster loss of glacier mass, according to a study by the Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). During 2010-19, glaciers in the region lost a mass of 0.28 metre of water equivalent per year (m we) in comparison to 0.17 m we per year in the period 2000-09. The Karakoram Range, which was known to be stable, has also started showing a decline in glacier mass, losing 0.09 m we per year during 2010-19. The SOE 2024 report quotes Izabella Koziell, ICIMOD’s deputy director general: “The glaciers of the Hindu Kush Himalaya are a major component of the Earth system. With two billion people in Asia reliant on the water that glaciers and snow here hold, the consequences of losing this cryosphere are too vast to contemplate. We need leaders to act now to prevent catastrophe.” The ice-melt from the glaciers is forming glacial lakes across the Himalayan range. The number of such lakes in Uttarakhand and east of Himachal Pradesh has increased from 127 in 2005 to 365 in 2015. The increasing frequency and ferocity of cloudbursts is causing these lakes to overflow or burst their banks and cause havoc downstream. Overall, the Himalayas have already lost more than 40% of their ice, and are likely to lose up to 75% by the end of this century. This is making the vegetation line in the Himalayas shift upwards at the rate of 11 to 54 m per decade. With 90 per cent of Himalayan agriculture being rainfed, this will make it impossible to sustain the livelihoods of the people who now inhabit the Himalayan region, and endanger the lives of those in the plains who depend on its waters. Studies say that the western Himalayas had lost 8,340 sq km of permafrost area between 2002-04 and 2018-20; about 965 sq km of area disappeared in the Uttarakhand Himalayas between 1970-2000 and 2001-17. The loss of permafrost can lead to infrastructure damage. “We are already seeing the effects of this, for example, in landslides caused by thawing permafrost,” says Dr Miriam Jackson, ICIMOD’s senior cryosphere specialist, and one of the speakers at the Anil Agarwal Dialogue. The head of Dehradun-based Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dr Kalachand Sain, another speaker at the Dialogue, said that “stopping development in the Himalayas was not the solution – this development needed to be done properly with guidelines prepared in consultation with all stakeholders. To mitigate disasters, we need to understand their root cause and get everybody — national governments, locals, experts, journalists — involved and interested in addressing them.
NIMLI (ALWAR): The Himalayan region of India has become the epicenter of climate-related disasters, accounting for a staggering 44 percent of all reported incidents across the nation between 2013 and 2022. Floods, landslides, and thunderstorms, totaling 192 events, have ravaged the region, with recent calamities serving as ominous preludes to an intensifying environmental crisis. The latest findings from the State of India's Environment 2024 report, unveiled during the annual Anil Agarwal Dialogue by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), shed light on the dire state of the Himalayas. Kiran Pandey, head of CSE's Environment Resources Unit, warns of an alarming trend marked by increasingly frequent and severe disasters wreaking havoc on lives and property. Of particular concern is the rapid melting of glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalayas, with a staggering 65 percent acceleration in glacier mass loss. According to a study by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), glaciers in the region lost 0.28 meters of water equivalent per year from 2010 to 2019, compared to 0.17 meters per year from 2000 to 2009. Even the previously stable Karakoram Range is witnessing a decline in glacier mass. Izabella Koziell, ICIMOD's deputy director general, underscores the critical importance of the Himalayan glaciers, which sustain the livelihoods of two billion people in Asia. The consequences of their disappearance, she warns, are too catastrophic to contemplate without urgent action from world leaders. The melting glaciers are not only exacerbating the loss of ice but also giving rise to glacial lakes, whose numbers have surged from 127 in 2005 to 365 in 2015 in Uttarakhand and eastern Himachal Pradesh. The overflow or bursting of these lakes, exacerbated by increasingly frequent cloudbursts, poses grave threats downstream. With over 40 percent of their ice already lost, the Himalayas are projected to lose up to 75 percent by the century's end, leading to a significant shift in vegetation lines and impacting the livelihoods of millions dependent on the region's resources. The loss of permafrost further compounds the crisis, with studies indicating significant declines in areas like the Uttarakhand Himalayas. Dr. Kalachand Sain, head of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, stresses the need for coordinated action involving national governments, local communities, experts, and the media to address the root causes of these disasters. He emphasizes that halting development in the Himalayas is not the solution but calls for sustainable development guided by comprehensive stakeholder consultations. As the Himalayan region stands at a critical juncture, the urgency of mitigating climate-related risks and safeguarding its fragile ecosystems cannot be overstated.
There has been a low penetration of e-autos in Delhi, according to the latest Centre for Science and Environment’s State of India’s Environment report for 2024. E-rickshaws and e-autos together constitute about 64% of all EVs in Delhi, but e-rickshaws are 93% of this fleet and e-autos or L5 category vehicles make up a mere 7%. Increasing this fleet is important as this segment meets a sizable share of travel demand and the need for last-mile connectivity, the report says. According to the report, one of the key reasons for this interest in three-wheelers is their crucial role in meeting the needs of urban commuting, last-mile connectivity as well as urban freight. However, three-wheelers are not one unified segment. “This is stratified as electric rickshaws (e-rickshaws), and auto rickshaws that are classified as L3 and L5 respectively in the Central Motor Vehicle Act and Rules. Between them it is the e-rickshaw category that has boomed and propelled the original electrification trend nationally. But auto-rickshaws have remained a small part of this change,” the report says. “Both e-rickshaws and e-autos are important as intermediate public transport and goods carriers but there are differences. E-rickshaws or L3 category vehicles have largely grown based on informal assembly outside the orbit of formal standards and certification systems though some minimum safety norms and speed definition have been adopted for their registration. A small fraction is also manufactured in the organised sector by original equipment manufacturers (OEM). In contrast, e-autos (L5 category) are manufactured mostly in the organised sector — both by conventional OEMs and start-ups — and are subject to relatively more rigorous approval and certification requirements, standardisation and norms,” the report says. Though incentives are available to both electric rickshaws (L3) and electric autos (L5), the uptake of L5 vehicles has been low. “Delhi govt needs to make the support for this segment stronger. It also needs to consider providing additional non-fiscal benefits to electric three-wheeler owners, such as discounted or free parking facilities, especially in multi-modal locations such as metro stations, bus terminals, major commercial places, earmarking areas for safe parking with charging facilities, creating low-emission zones to incentivise entry of electric or zero emission vehicles,” the report says. The report suggested that the public charging network needs to be enhanced for top up charging. There are around 2,452 public charging and 234 battery-swapping facilities in Delhi. There is a plan to add another 896 charging and 103 swapping facilities over the next 1–2 years. “However, only a few areas have dense charging facilities. More distributed development is needed. It also emerged that e-auto drivers find it difficult to use automated charging stations as they cannot seek assistance for any problem faced while operating the system,” the report says.
Gurgaon: This Feb logged the best air quality since 2020, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. The city’s average air quality index (AQI) in Feb was 201 (poor), down from 228 (poor) during the same period last year. The average index for the month was 237 in 2020, 226 in 2021 and 212 in 2022. According to experts, the region witnessed a rise in wind speed, frequent change in wind direction and weaker western disturbances this Feb, which led to better dispersion of pollutants in the atmosphere. The city, however, hasn’t witnessed any ‘satisfactory’ or ‘good’ air days this Feb, the same for the last three years. “The average wind speed was 15 km/hour this Feb, which was not the case in the past few years. Earlier, it was less than 8 km/hour. Also, the wind direction was easterly instead of northerly, which is why the air was cleaner,” said Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at Centre for Science and Environment. Though the AQI showed slight improvement this Feb, experts pointed out that the PM 2.5 levels have been on the higher side. “The city witnessed a five-day spell of ‘very poor’ PM2.5 levels ranging from 121-250 µg/m3 last month, with only three ‘satisfactory’ days. This highlights a pressing concern. The average concentration stands at 1.5 times the daily National Ambient Air Quality Standards and a staggering six times higher than WHO safe levels,” said Sunil Dahiya, analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Meanwhile, Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) officials said the suspension of road dust due to vehicular traffic and waste burning are of special concern in the city. “Over the years, highly polluting industries have moved out of NCR, we have changed rules regarding DG sets, and put a ban on biomass burning. These have shown results, but we still need to strengthen the public transportation system and control construction and demolition waste and road dust,” said an HSPCB officer. Thursday’s air quality index (AQI) slightly deteriorated but remained in the ‘moderate’ range at 145 on Thursday, from 142 the day before. Every year, Delhi-NCR witnesses heavy smog and deterioration of air quality levels during winter. The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is implemented every year as a result. We also published the following articles recently Gone With The Wind! Feb AQI Lowest Since 2016Delhi's average AQI in Feb was 220, the lowest since 2016. Moderate and very poor days were recorded. Rain and strong winds aided in pollution dispersion. Excess rain in Feb helped settle pollutants. Improved ventilation and wind speed contributed to cleaner air. Nip in the air back in Indore with northeasterly windsIndore experienced a significant drop in night temperature to 12 degrees Celsius. The day temperature was below normal, with a maximum of 27.9 degrees Celsius. The Met Department forecasts light rainfall in neighboring areas. Fluctuating weather patterns attributed to the Western Disturbance will persist until March 10. Chill is back in the air, thanks to clouds & windsCloud cover and cold winds brought down the day temperature in Bhopal. Possibility of rain and thunder existed in the state. Western disturbance and cyclonic circulations may lead to showers. Lowest temperature recorded at 9 degrees Celsius. Clear sky with hazy morning forecasted on Saturday.
Centre for Science and Environment presents the flagship Anil Agarwal Dialogue 2024 It is that time of the year again when Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi organises the Anil Agarwal Dialogue (AAD) for journalists and environmentalists from across India. CSE Director-General and Editor of Down To Earth, Sunita Narain explains why AAD is held each year and what is on the agenda this time. We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
A severe heat wave (loo) may occur in all the states of North and Central India around Holi this year. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Holi this time is in the last week of March (25th March) and the temperature in South India has increased since the beginning of February. The situation is such that in all the states of South India to Maharashtra and Odisha, the temperature during the day is being recorded 4-6°C higher above average i.e. above 33°C. This trend started being recorded from the first week of February itself, which was seen starting in the third week in the last two years. Meteorologists believe that the trend of increasing temperature in the pre-monsoon season in the states of North and Central India for the last two years will continue this time. A study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has found that in the last 45 years in the country, out of 540 consecutive months, not a single month has passed without any extreme weather event. During 2023 itself, the country experienced extreme weather events for 318 out of 365 days and no state remained untouched. More than 100 incidents of extreme weather occurred in eight states of the country. Maximum number of such incidents occurred in Himachal for 149 days. Madhya Pradesh was troubled by weather events for 141 days and Kerala and UP for 119 days each. Various states of the country faced heavy rains and floods for a maximum of 208 days.
And extreme weather events – such as heatwaves and intense rainfall – occurring on almost every day in the first nine months of 2023, thanks to record-breaking temperatures and rainfall. These are some of the impacts and losses that India witnessed in 2023, as per the State of India’s Environment 2024 report released by the Centre for Science and Environment on February 29. Warming planet, extreme weather The Centre (CSE, a public interest research organisation based in New Delhi) has released State of India’s Environment reports every year since 2014. The reports, a compilation or survey of the status of India’s environment, are based on several sources of data – from government departments, surveys, reports and databases, to international reports, and sometimes, data generated by the CSE as well. This year’s report, accessed by The Wire, covers a range of topics from extreme weather events to antimicrobial resistance and pollution. The world is steadily warming, the report noted. Global mean near-surface temperature in 2023 (till October) was about 1.4 Degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level (1850-1900 average). As per science, the world has to limit warming to 1.5°C or 2°C by urgently reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In terms of regions, Asia is warming up faster than the rest of the world. The warming trend in Asia in 1991-2022 was almost double the warming trend during the 1961-1990 period, and much larger than the trends of the previous 30 years, per data in the State of the Climate in Asia 2022 report published by World Meteorological Organization that the 2024 CSE report quotes. One of the State of India’s Environment 2024 report’s main take-homes is the impact of extreme weather events caused by climate change on India’s environment, its people and some livelihoods. Extreme weather events broke several records in India last year, per the report. Heat extremes were many. India witnessed its warmest ever August and September in 122 years, as per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). The February of 2023 was also the warmest ever February on record since 1901. On September 12 last year, Srinagar recorded its second hottest day in September in 132 years.
New Delhi's journey towards electric vehicle (EV) integration faces a unique challenge with a low penetration of e-autos, despite a significant presence of electric vehicles, particularly e-rickshaws. The Centre for Science and Environment's State of India's Environment report for 2024 sheds light on the composition of Delhi's EV fleet, highlighting the dominance of e-rickshaws and the scant presence of e-autos or L5 category vehicles. With e-rickshaws and e-autos together constituting about 64% of all EVs in Delhi, the staggering difference with e-rickshaws making up 93% of this fleet, positions e-autos at a mere 7%. This discrepancy emphasizes the necessity to bolster the e-auto segment to meet the substantial demand for travel and last-mile connectivity within the urban landscape. Reasons Behind the E-Auto Slump The report identifies several factors contributing to the slow uptake of e-autos in Delhi's transportation ecosystem. Among these, the stratification of three-wheelers into electric rickshaws (e-rickshaws) and auto rickshaws, classified as L3 and L5 respectively, plays a critical role. Despite the booming e-rickshaw category driving the initial electrification trend nationally, e-autos have not experienced similar growth. Differences in manufacturing, certification, and approval processes between the two categories, with e-autos facing more rigorous requirements, have impacted their proliferation. Additionally, although incentives exist for both vehicle types, the lower uptake of L5 vehicles highlights the need for stronger government support and consideration of additional non-fiscal benefits to encourage e-auto adoption. Strategies for Improvement
ALWAR (RAJASTHAN): Year 2023 was categorized to be one of the warmest years on record which was 1.48 degree C warmer than the average temperature recorded from 1850-1900. Previous warmest year record of 2016 was breached by 0.17 Degree Celsius. The rise in temperature has been attributed to the El Nino effect which is likely to trigger heat wave spells even this summer as it gradually fades out by May. Keeping under consideration the possible heat wave conditions that will prevail, weather experts have expressed concern over the impact it can have when the Lok Sabha Election process is underway. Professor at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) Pune, Roxy Mathew Koll shared a detailed study here on Wednesday to predict heat wave conditions beginning as early as March and continuing through May, when at one hand the El-Nino effect will subside giving way to La-Nina effect. “Though El-Nino is the hot marine streams that warms up the environment, La-Nina theoretically brings in a cooling effect with cold streams but the overall impact does not quantitatively mitigate the heating effect of El-Nino,” he said. Citing the example of Maharashtra Bhushan award ceremony of April 16, 2023 when as many as 13 people attending the mammoth gathering at Khargarh in Navi Mumbai died of heat stroke, Koll said that the temperature that day was between 34-38 degree Celsius. “It was not the temperature alone but the associated relative humidity of over 45% that was the culprit and did not allow the bodies of the victims to regulate its internal temperature via sweating. “Though the heat is blamed, it is the lack of basic precautions that led to the casualty,” he said, further issuing a caution that during 2024 electioneering such precautions must be in place.
The year 2023 was the hottest on record and 2022 was the fifth-hottest. The Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) State of India’s Environment Report 2024, released Wednesday, revealed a total of 329 heatwave days documented across India over the past two years. Meanwhile, another report concerning heatwaves released on the same day, by Climate Trends, highlighted that despite warnings from climate experts about a warming planet, media coverage remains sluggish. According to the report, a mere 14 percent of news articles concerning heatwaves in India in 2022 made any reference to climate change. In its annual report, the CSE has catalogued the impact of climate change on extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. It shows that India’s weather was off to a rocky start at the beginning of 2023, with higher-than-average temperatures in January and February. In fact, the year saw the hottest February since 1901. In April, 27 out of 30 days saw hailstorms in the country, while about seven days saw heatwaves in nine states. The report attributed these weather fluctuations to disrupted western disturbances, which are extratropical storms responsible for rainfall in North India. In June, 12 states experienced heatwaves, and the high temperatures continued into August and September, making them the warmest ever in 122 years.
The Himalayan mountains have served as a bastion of human survival ever since our species moved into the region. The mighty range impacts our country in many ways, ranging from protecting India from invaders, deterring northward cloud movement to dump extra rain over our northern expanses, to even nourishing about a quarter of the world’s population with water. Despite these long-standing feats, even the Himalayan region has not been spared from the cruel wrath of the 21st century’s biggest public enemy: climate change. Over the past few decades, the Himalayas — a sensitive hotspot stretching across India, Nepal, Bhutan, and a few other countries — have become the focus of the disproportionate devastation of a large amount of climate-related disasters. According to the Centre of Science and Environment’s State of India’s Environment 2024 report, a staggering 44% of all Indian climate-related incidents from 2013-2022 took place in the Himalayan region. This includes floods, landslides and thunderstorms that have caused immense damage to lives and property. An icy problem The report also reveals an alarming acceleration in glacier melt. Glaciers in the Hindu-Kush Himalayas lost 65% more ice mass between 2010 and 2019 compared to the previous decade. Even the Karakoram Range near Kashmir, which was previously considered stable, has now begun to experience significant glacial retreat. Considering how crucial these glaciers are for irrigation, hydropower and domestic use, losing them would have catastrophic consequences. So far, we’ve already lost over 40% of the Himalayan ice, and projections indicate a potential 75% loss by 2100. This will significantly alter vegetation patterns and disrupt the lives of millions who depend on the regional resources. The region is also experiencing a distinct loss of permafrost — a layer of permanently frozen soil — which could contribute to mountain slope destabilisation and worsen rock avalanches in the area. Further, the melting bodies of ice are leading to the formation of numerous glacial lakes. In Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, the number of such lakes has surged from 127 to 365 within a single decade. These lakes pose a serious threat as they can overflow or burst, unleashing devastating floods downstream, especially when triggered by increasingly frequent cloudbursts. Year-long droughts ahead? Considering its massive watershed, the fate of the Himalayas is not just a regional concern. Another study has found that 90% of the Himalayan region could be in for droughts lasting longer than a year if global temperatures rise by 3°C. This translates to a wide-ranging impact in eight countries, including India. Over half of our agricultural land could become exposed to severe year-long droughts for the next three decades if we permit worldwide temperatures to cross the aforementioned threshold. The study also explains that limiting global warming to 1.5°C, compared to 3°C, could help India potentially avoid 80% of the increased heat stress, and reduce human exposure to severe droughts by 20-80%. Further, at the first threshold, half of India could act as a refuge for biodiversity, compared to only 6% at 3°C. These findings further emphasise how critical it is that we adhere to the Paris Agreement’s temperature targets. By taking decisive action and meeting climate goals, we can work towards a future where the majestic Himalayas and other vulnerable regions are spared the harshest consequences of climate change.
CSE’s State of India’s Environment 2024 report attributes 44 per cent of India’s disasters between 2013 and 2022 to Himalayan climate change Darjeeling, Bengal’s much-loved hill town, has become increasingly vulnerable over the last two decades because of rapid “development”. Close to half of India’s disasters between 2013 and 2022 occurred in the Himalayas with floods, landslides and thunderstorms making up the most, according to the State of India’s Environment 2024 released by Centre for Science and Environment at its Nimli complex on Wednesday. “Between 2013 and 2022, the Himalayan region in India accounted for 44 per cent of all national disasters. Floods, landslides and thunderstorms – 192 in all – constituted the bulk of these incidents,” says the annual report released every year by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth magazine.
NIMLI: At the annual Anil Agarwal Dialogue of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), environmental experts revealed that 2023 has been recorded as the warmest year in Earth's history. The global temperature rose 1.48 degrees Celsius higher than the pre-industrial average of 1850-1900, with a concerning increase in the number of days experiencing temperatures exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius. Presenting findings from the State of India’s Environment 2024 report, economist Nitin Desai, veteran journalist T N Ninan, and CSE director general Sunita Narain highlighted the catastrophic impact of extreme weather events. The report, curated and published by CSE, revealed that 109 nations faced severe weather catastrophes in 2023, with Africa, Europe, and West Asia being the most affected. Indonesia had the highest number of affected individuals, nearly 19 million, and Libya witnessed the most fatalities. In India, 2023 was notable for its scorching August and September, the hottest in 122 years. The nation experienced 318 out of 365 days with some form of calamity, resulting in 3,287 casualties, 2.21 million hectares of cropland destruction, 86,432 homes ravaged, and 124,813 animal deaths. Every region in India faced nature's fury, with Himachal Pradesh having the highest number of extreme weather events, followed closely by Madhya Pradesh. Kerala and Uttar Pradesh also dealt with their share of calamitous days. The breakdown of events highlighted heavy rains, floods, landslides for 208 days, followed by lightning and storms for 202 days. Additionally, heatwaves, coldwaves, cloudbursts, snowfalls, and cyclones wreaked havoc. Bihar had the highest casualties, with 642 lives lost, Haryana faced the most damaged crops, Gujarat had the highest count of demolished homes, and Punjab mourned the highest animal fatalities. In her keynote address, Sunita Narain stressed the urgent need for a paradigm shift in environmental management, terming 2023-24 as a year of 'polycrisis.' She emphasized the importance of reinventing the narrative surrounding environmental stewardship and strengthening regulatory institutions to combat the multifaceted challenges facing humanity. As the world grapples with the grim realities of climate change, the call for concerted action has never been more pressing.
India recorded extreme weather events on 318 of with all states and Union territories experiencing s according to a new report released on Wednesday. These extreme weather events resulted in 3,287 hu deaths, and damage to 2.21 million hectares of crop think tank the Centre for Science and Environmen 2024" said. Himachal Pradesh recorded the highest number of days with extreme weather at 149, follo 141, and Kerala and Uttar Pradesh with 119 each. Eight states recorded more than 100 days of extreme weather, the report said. Heavy rains, floods and landslides were recorded on 208 days in 2023. Lightning and storms occurred on 202 days, heatwaves on 49 days, cold waves on 29 days India experienced extreme weather events for 123 consecutive days between June and Sep
In 2023, India faced extreme weather almost every day of the year, with all states and Union territories experiencing these harsh conditions at least once, India endured extreme weather conditions on 318 of the 365 days in 2023, affecting every state and Union territory, according to findings from the Centre for Science and Environment’s “State of Environment 2024” report. 3,287 human lives were lost, alongside 1.24 lakh animal fatalities. The agricultural sector, a lifeline for millions, suffered with 2.21 million hectares of crops ravaged. Himachal Pradesh experienced the highest frequency of extreme weather, with 149 days affected, followed closely by Madhya Pradesh with 141 days, and both Kerala and Uttar Pradesh with 119. The types of extreme weather varied, with heavy rains, floods, and landslides occurring on 208 days, and lightning and storms on 202 days. Heatwaves scorched the land on 49 days, while cold waves chilled it for 29 days, and cloudbursts brought sudden devastation on nine occasions. The winter months of January and February experienced extreme weather on 28 of the 59 days, affecting 21 states and Union Territories. Punjab and Haryana were most affected, with extreme weather reported on 15 days each. These two months were also warmer than the average temperatures recorded between 1981-2010, with February’s daytime and mean temperatures being 1.86°C and 1.36°C warmer, respectively. Additionally, the period was drier than usual, exacerbating the impact of the extreme conditions. Seasonal Breakdown Winter: The year commenced with a winter that saw 28 of 59 days marked by extreme weather, affecting 21 states and Union Territories. Punjab and Haryana topped the list with 15 days of severe conditions. Pre-Monsoon: The pre-monsoon period was no less forgiving, with 85 of 92 days experiencing extreme weather across 33 states and UTs. Maharashtra faced the highest number, with 41 days of tumultuous weather. Monsoon: The monsoon season, typically a respite, turned treacherous with all 122 days marred by extreme conditions, spreading across all states and UTs. Also Read: Snow disrupts life in Himachal and J&K, more snow, rainfall expected The pre-monsoon season, spanning March to May, was marked by extreme weather on 85 of the 92 days, impacting 33 states and Union Territories. Maharashtra experienced the highest frequency of such events, with 41 days of extreme weather, followed by Rajasthan with 32 days. Despite near-normal temperatures, the season was characterized by higher rainfall and an unusually high incidence of lightning and storms, particularly hailstorms, which were reported across almost the entire country. The monsoon season, which typically brings relief in the form of rain, instead brought its own set of challenges. All 122 days of the monsoon were marked by extreme weather, affecting every state and Union Territory. The monsoon arrived seven days late and progressed slowly, eventually covering the entire country by June 30. This delay, combined with the influence of Western Disturbances, led to extreme rainfall events that caused widespread destruction.