Centre for Science and Environment masthead Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Donate

Cse In News

Cse In News

'Phase out waste from dumpsites'

Bengaluru: India should conduct a nationwide study to accurately estimate methane emissions from legacy waste dumpsites and organic waste processing facilities, and urgently phase out biodegradable waste disposal in landfills, a new report by the Centre for Science and Environment has recommended. The independent think tank's report, titled "Methane Emissions from Open Dumpsites in India: Estimation and Mitigation Strategies", also stresses the importance of creating robust markets for reduced-emission products generated from organic waste processing and promoting carbon credits for biomining projects. A key concern raised in the report is the unreliability and inconsistency of data related to municipal solid waste and methane emissions. To address this issue, the report suggests using the first-order decay (FOD) method, which relies on field data and primary research to more precisely estimate methane emissions from landfill sites. A pan-India study needs to be conducted on estimation of methane and other GHGs (greenhouse gases) from each of the legacy waste dumpsites and organic waste processing facilities, experts have suggested. There is a lack of data on the quantity of methane originating from the dumpsites and other waste management-related activities they added. Creating a system of comprehensive methane measurement and monitoring strategies will enable policymakers and regulators to develop data-driven, science-based targets to reduce methane emissions from the waste sector, especially from dumpsites. In its report, the environmental think tank has emphasised the need to phase out the disposal of biodegradable waste in landfills and advocated for robust policies to incentivise waste diversion through source separation and the development of critical infrastructure for biodegradable waste treatment. Large-scale anaerobic digestion facilities are highlighted as a necessity to keep biodegradable waste out of landfills, reducing the burden on downstream mitigation technologies. The report also highlights the need to promote carbon credits for biomining projects and mandates estimating methane potential from capped landfills and dumpsites. Currently, there is a lack of monitoring of methane flux from existing landfill facilities and fugitive gas emissions from bio-digesters and biogas storage balloons in biomethanation plants. The report has also advocated for afforestation on reclaimed bioremediated land, emphasising its role as a carbon sequester to mitigate emissions. The green cover developed on the reclaimed land will act as a carbon sequester. According to BUR-3 (third biennial update report) submitted by the Government of India, forest and tree cover sequestered 331 million tonnes of CO2 in 2016, which is around 15 per cent of the total CO2 emissions in the country. Methane is a potent GHG with a much higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide (CO2). Its atmospheric concentration has more than doubled over the last two centuries primarily due to anthropogenic activities. It has a relatively short lifespan — of approximately 12 years — in the atmosphere. However, its global warming potential (GWP) — the ability of the gas to trap heat in the atmosphere — is 25 times more than CO2 and it has been second only to CO2 in causing climate change during the industrial era. Landfills are the third-largest source of methane emissions globally, after oil and gas systems and agriculture. Landfill waste management worldwide accounted for an estimated 1.6 billion tonnes of CO2e (CO2 equivalent) in 2016. According to a report by the World Bank, this number is expected to reach 2.6 billion tonnes of CO2e by 2050. As per India's third biennial update report (BUR), the country's methane emissions in 2016 (excluding land use and landuse change and forestry) stood at 409 million tonnes CO2e. Of this, 73.96 per cent came from the agriculture sector, 14.46 per cent from the waste sector, 10.62 per cent from the energy sector and 0.96 per cent from the industrial processes and product use sector.

In early days of farm fires, Haryana sees sharp jump from last 2 years

GURGAON: It's still early weeks of the paddy harvesting season, and farm fires in Haryana have crossed the previous two years’ count between September 15 and October 4. Satellite data from Nasa, collated by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, recorded 29 instances of farm fires in Haryana on Wednesday. The state’s total since mid-September touched 166, multiple folds higher than the 24 recorded in the same period in 2022 and 21 in 2021. Experts said on Wednesday this hike in numbers is because stubble burning began early this year as rains did not linger till September, unlike the previous two years when showers went on till the second week of October. “Last two years, rains continued till the second week of October, as a result of which farm fires started later. It isn’t the case this year. But, if this is an overall increase or not can only be decided after the season is over and we get the entire data,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director for research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Of the total, most instances of farm fires were recorded in Kurukshetra – at 36 — followed by Ambala (34), Yamunanagar (22), Sonipat (20), Karnal (14), Fatehabad (10), Jind (9), Kaithal (7), Palwal (5), Panipat (4), Hisar (3) and one each in Rohtak and Jhajjar. The number of fires is likely to go up over the next few weeks as farms across northwest India’s agricultural belt clear their fields to prepare for the next round of crops. Asked what needs to be done to reduce stubble burning, which contributes to the peak winter pollution season that sees skies across Delhi-NCR coated in toxic haze, Rowchowdhury said Haryana has a “good track record”. “We have been seeing a year-on-year decline in Haryana. The government needs to focus on sending machinery to farmers on time and strengthen the process of paddy straw management,” she said. The state government has appointed 7,000 nodal officers, set up dedicated call centre teams and distributed 16,000 machines to farmers for in-situ paddy straw management this year. “This year, Haryana has taken several measures, from setting up control rooms and enforcement teams to announcing incentives such as Rs 1,000 per acre for adopting alternatives to stubble burning, Rs 500 per acre for transporting stubble to gaushalas and a price of Rs 2,500 per tonne for purchasing paddy crop residue from farmers… While this approach is a welcome move, it is important to assess how these measures are translating to a reduction in farm fires. For the current season, state authorities must ensure the optimal use of the 80 thousand straw management machines deployed. Alongside, they should leverage digital platforms to spread awareness,” said LS Kurinji, programme associate at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). According to data, 989 farm fires have been recorded across Punjab, Haryana, UP, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh between September 15 and October 4. Of these, the majority – 656 – were in Punjab. In Haryana, paddy is grown on approximately 36.5 lakh acres of area every year and this is likely to generate 7.3 lakh MT of straw. Of this, the government expects 2.4 lakh MT to be managed as fodder and 3.1 lakh MT in in-situ management and 1.7 lakh MT in ex-situ management. “We are providing machinery to farmers at the earliest. We have also prepared for a staggered harvesting schedule for paddy. Gram panchayats in the red and yellow zones will be awarded Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000 for achieving zero-burning targets,” said Darshan Singh, technical assistant, Haryana agriculture department.

दिल्ली सरकार ने वायु प्रदूषण से निपटने के लिए ‘ग्रीन वॉर रूम’ लॉन्च किया

दिल्ली सरकार ने 3 अक्टूबर, 2023 को ‘ग्रीन वॉर रूम’ लॉन्च करके वायु प्रदूषण के खिलाफ लड़ाई में एक महत्वपूर्ण कदम उठाया है। इस सक्रिय उपाय का उद्देश्य वायु प्रदूषण से निपटना है, जिसने लंबे समय से राष्ट्रीय राजधानी को परेशान किया है, खासकर सर्दियों के महीनों के दौरान। दिल्ली की वायु प्रदूषण की समस्या दिल्ली वाहनों, उद्योग और निर्माण सहित विभिन्न स्रोतों से होने वाले उच्च स्तर के वायु प्रदूषण से जूझ रही है। पड़ोसी पंजाब और हरियाणा में किसानों द्वारा पराली जलाने से प्रदूषण का स्तर बढ़ जाता है, खासकर सर्दियों में। ग्रीन वार रूम दिल्ली के पर्यावरण मंत्री गोपाल राय ने वायु प्रदूषण से निपटने के लिए ‘ग्रीन वॉर रूम’ का उद्घाटन किया। वॉर रूम को ग्रीन दिल्ली ऐप नामक मोबाइल एप्लिकेशन के साथ सहजता से एकीकृत किया गया है। ‘ग्रीन वॉर रूम’ का प्रबंधन वैज्ञानिकों और इंजीनियरों की 17 सदस्यीय टीम द्वारा किया जाता है। यह एक एकीकृत मंच के रूप में कार्य करता है, जो 28 सरकारी विभागों को जोड़ता है, और नागरिकों को ग्रीन दिल्ली ऐप के माध्यम से प्रदूषण से संबंधित शिकायतों की रिपोर्ट करने की अनुमति देता है। ऐप पर प्राप्त शिकायतों की समीक्षा केंद्र सरकार, दिल्ली सरकार और दिल्ली नगर निगम (MCD) सहित सभी संबंधित विभागों द्वारा संयुक्त रूप से की जाती है। शीतकालीन कार्य योजना मुख्यमंत्री अरविंद केजरीवाल ने सर्दियों के मौसम के दौरान वायु प्रदूषण से निपटने के लिए 29 सितंबर, 2023 को एक व्यापक 15-सूत्रीय शीतकालीन कार्य योजना का अनावरण किया। इस योजना के हिस्से के रूप में, 5 अक्टूबर, 2023 को एक धूल विरोधी अभियान शुरू करने की तैयारी है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) से अंतर्दृष्टि सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की एक रिपोर्ट बताती है कि 31% प्रदूषण स्रोत आंतरिक (दिल्ली के भीतर) हैं, जबकि 69% बाहरी (आसपास के राज्यों से) हैं। वाहनों को एक प्रमुख वास्तविक समय प्रदूषण स्रोत के रूप में पहचाना गया है, जो विशेष रूप से दिल्ली में कण प्रदूषण में योगदान देता है। रिपोर्ट में बताया गया है कि 2022 की सर्दियों में वायु प्रदूषण का स्तर अपेक्षाकृत कम होने के बावजूद, दिल्ली राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र के पांच प्रमुख शहरों में सबसे अधिक प्रदूषित रही। 2018 में दिल्ली में बड़े पैमाने पर वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी शुरू हुई, जिससे वायु गुणवत्ता पर बहुमूल्य डेटा उपलब्ध हुआ। सार्वजनिक जुड़ाव और संकल्प ग्रीन दिल्ली ऐप पर 70,684 से अधिक शिकायतें दर्ज की गई हैं, जिनमें से 90% का सफलतापूर्वक समाधान किया गया है। इनमें से कई शिकायतें दिल्ली नगर निगम (MCD) के कामकाज से संबंधित थीं। वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (AQI) 3 अक्टूबर, 2023 को दिल्ली का वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (AQI) 155 था, जो इसे ‘मध्यम’ के रूप में वर्गीकृत करता है। AQI श्रेणियां ‘अच्छे’ से लेकर ‘गंभीर’ तक होती हैं, जो विभिन्न प्रदूषण स्तरों को दर्शाती हैं।

Himalayan plunder: 3 million Indians live in areas that can be swept by glacial lake floods, says study

Three million Indians live in areas where a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) can happen at any time, the first global assessment of such areas has found. Together with two million Pakistanis, they form a third of the total number of people worldwide facing such a risk. Globally, 90 million people across 30 countries live in 1,089 basins containing glacial lakes. Of these, 15 million (16.6 per cent) live within 50 kilometres of a glacial lake, said the new study published in Nature Communications February 7, 2023. The majority of the globally exposed population amounting to 9.3 million (62 per cent) are located in the region of high mountain Asia (HMA). Just four highly populous countries accounted for more than 50 per cent of the globally exposed population: India, Pakistan, Peru and China. The population exposed to GLOFs increases with distance from a glacial lake. Almost half (48 per cent) of exposed populations are globally located between 20 km and 35 km downstream of lakes, said the study by a team of scientists led by Caroline Taylor, Newcastle University. Only two per cent (300,000) of the global population exposed to GLOFs live within five km of one or more glacial lakes, with the majority of these — 66 per cent or 198,000 people found in HMA. Populations in HMA live, on average, closer to glacial lakes than anywhere else, with “one million people living within 10 km downstream of a glacial lake, where any early warning time is likely to be low, and, uncertainty in GLOF magnitude high”, the study noted. The researchers grouped basins into four mountain ranges: HMA, European Alps, Andes and Pacific Northwest (PNW). The remaining 131 (12 per cent) basins outside of these ranges were referred to as ‘High Arctic and Outlying Countries’. Populations across the PNW and High Arctic and Outlying Countries are generally situated further than 35 km downstream from glacial lakes, according to the study. People and glacial lakes ICIMOD or the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, a regional intergovernmental learning and knowledge sharing centre, defines a GLOF as: The sudden release of water from a lake fed by glacier melt that has formed at the side, in front, within, beneath, or on the surface of a glacier. GLOF has the potential to catastrophically threaten people’s lives, livelihoods and regional infrastructure. The researchers found that it was not the size or number of glacial lakes that determined the risk to people. Instead, it was the number of exposed people that greatly elevated the potential impact of GLOFs globally especially across HMA and the Andes. For instance, the island of Greenland has the highest number and area of glacial lakes. However, nobody resides in such areas, giving it a danger score of zero. On the other hand, the most dangerous basins, mainly found across HMA and the Andes do not always host the most, or the largest, glacial lakes. It is the high number of people as well as their reduced capacity to cope with disaster that plays an important role in determining the overall GLOF danger. The most dangerous of the 1,089 glacial basins analysed are found in Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa basin), Peru (Santa basin) and Bolivia (Beni basin) containing 1.2 million, 0.9 million and 0.1 million people respectively who could be exposed to GLOF impacts. The study also noted that glaciers across the Andes have undergone rapid deglaciation over the last 20 years in response to climate changes. This has led to the growth of many large glacial lakes and consequently a growth in overall GLOF lake conditions. The number of glacial lakes across the region increased by 93 per cent, compared to just 37 per cent in HMA across the period. Concurrent with this increase, populations living in close proximity to glacial lakes have grown, increasing the overall exposure to GLOF, the study noted. Since 1941 the population in Huaraz, Peru, alone has increased by 100,000. At the same time, regional vulnerability remains high as a result of deep-rooted corruption and poor standards of living. Closer home, innovator and environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for urgent intervention to protect Ladakh. Climate impact is visible in the Himalayas, with 25 glacial lakes and water bodies witnessing an increase in water spread area since 2009. Centre for Science and Environment and Down to Earth’s State of India’s Environment 2022: In Figures found that there has been a 40 per cent increase in water spread area in India, China and Nepal, posing a huge threat to seven Indian states and Union Territories.

Pożary na farmach w północnych Indiach widoczne na satelitarnych obrazach z NASA

Pożary na farmach na północy Indii zaczęły pojawiać się na obrazach satelitarnych NASA, z wieloma zdarzeniami pożarowymi odnotowanymi w Punjabie, Haryanie i Uttar Pradesh od 15 września, zgodnie z danymi opublikowanymi przez Indijski Instytut Rolniczy (IARI). Konsorcjum ds. Monitorowania i Modelowania Agroekosystemów z Kosmosu (CREAMS), centrum należące do IARI, monitoruje spalanie resztek roślinnych w regionie od 15 września do 30 listopada. W dniach od 15 do 18 września, Punjab odnotował sześć pożarów, co jest niższą liczbą niż w poprzednich latach. W tym samym okresie w zeszłym roku w Punjabie odnotowano 22 pożary, natomiast w 2021 roku liczba ta wyniosła 11. Haryana zanotowała po jednym pożarze w dniach 15 i 16 września, w porównaniu do zaledwie jednego pożaru w całym zeszłym miesiącu wrześniu. Uttar Pradesh odnotowało dwa pożary 16 września, podczas gdy pierwszy pożar na farmie w tym stanie miał miejsce 30 września ubiegłego roku. VK Sehgal, profesor i główny naukowiec w IARI, wyjaśnił, że we wrześniu zazwyczaj występują izolowane pożary, głównie w Amritsarze lub Tarn Taran w Punjabie, gdzie zbieranie ziemniaków odbywa się w inny cykl w porównaniu do zbiorów ryżu. Pomimo braku opadów w sierpniu, Punjab prawdopodobnie będzie miał w tym roku obfite plony, co wymaga zwiększonego wysiłku w celu zwalczania pożarów. Pożary na farmach w regionie przyczyniają się do kryzysu zdrowotnego, szczególnie dotykając Delhi, gdy nad północną Indią tworzy się kurtyna smogowa. Wpływ na jakość powietrza w Delhi zwykle jest odczuwalny od października, gdy kierunek wiatru staje się północno-zachodni po zakończeniu południowo-zachodniego monsunu. Zasiewy zostały dotknięte nieprawidłowym wzorcem monsunowym w tym roku, z deficytem 10% opadów na terenie całego kraju oraz powyżej-normalnymi opadami w lipcu. To skłoniło ekspertów do przypuszczenia, że spalanie resztek roślinnych może zostać przesunięte na październik z powodu niedawnych deszczy na północnym-zachodzie Indii. Wrzesień uważany jest za odpowiedni moment dla rządów stanowych, aby zająć się tym problemem. Anumita Roychowdhury, dyrektor wykonawczy ds. badań i obrony w Centrum Nauki i Środowiska (CSE), podkreśliła znaczenie wczesnej interwencji i współpracy z rolnikami w celu zapobieżenia pożarom na farmach. Zeszłoroczny trend spadku liczby pożarów we wrześniu był zachęcający. Monitorowanie pożarów na farmach za pomocą obrazów satelitarnych dostarcza cennych informacji dla decydentów politycznych i władz, aby podjąć odpowiednie działania i złagodzić wpływ na jakość powietrza i zdrowie publiczne.

Delhi Government Launches ‘Green War Room’ to Combat Air Pollution

The Delhi government has taken a significant step in the fight against air pollution by launching a ‘green war room’ on October 3, 2023. This proactive measure aims to combat air pollution, which has long plagued the national capital, particularly during the winter months. Delhi’s Persistent Air Pollution Problem Delhi grapples with high levels of air pollution caused by various sources, including vehicles, industry, and construction. Stubble burning by farmers in neighboring Punjab and Haryana exacerbates the pollution levels, especially in winter. The Green War Room Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai inaugurated the ‘green war room’ to tackle air pollution head-on. The war room is seamlessly integrated with a mobile application known as the Green Delhi app. The ‘green war room’ is managed by a 17-member team consisting of scientists and engineers. It acts as a unified platform, connecting 28 government departments, and allows citizens to report pollution-related complaints through the Green Delhi app. Complaints received on the app are jointly reviewed by all relevant departments, including those from the central government, Delhi government, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The Winter Action Plan Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal unveiled a comprehensive 15-point Winter Action Plan on September 29, 2023, to combat air pollution during the winter season. As part of this plan, an anti-dust campaign is set to launch on October 5, 2023. Insights from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) A report from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) indicates that 31% of pollution sources are internal (within Delhi), while 69% are external (from surrounding states). Vehicles have been identified as a major real-time pollution source, particularly contributing to particulate pollution in Delhi. The report highlighted that despite relatively low air pollution levels in winter 2022, Delhi remained the most polluted among five major cities in the national capital region. Large-scale air quality monitoring commenced in Delhi in 2018, providing valuable data on air quality. Public Engagement and Resolution Over 70,684 complaints have been registered on the Green Delhi App, with an impressive 90% of them successfully resolved. Many of these complaints were related to the functioning of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Air Quality Index (AQI) The air quality index (AQI) for Delhi stood at 155 on October 3, 2023, categorizing it as ‘moderate.’ AQI categories range from ‘good’ to ‘severe,’ reflecting different pollution levels.

‘It could be a bad year if on-ground steps inadequate’: Nasa expert on farm fires

Farm fires in the agrarian states of Punjab and Haryana this season could follow similar trends as the past, according to assessments of cropping patterns by a remote sensing expert from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa), who added that it will now be crucial for on-ground administrations to step in and dissuade the practice. Senior aerosol remote sensing scientist at Nasa Goddard Space Flight Center, Hiren Jethva said that based on the area cultivated in Punjab and Haryana, 2023, if farmers continue “an as usual burning” practice as before, the year could record the fourth highest active fire season after 2021, 2016 and 2020. “Rice harvest in northwest India is approaching soon. My prediction for 2023 seasonal residue fires from Aqua MODIS Sep NDVI (satellite imagery) suggests 16,000 occurrences in Punjab and Haryana under an ‘as usual burning scenario’. Prediction stands (2023) as the fourth most active fire season after 2021, 2016, 2020,” Jethva said. He, however, added that on-ground action by state agencies could significantly reduce the number of farm fires, as it has happened in the past. “Satellite detected 16% less fire activities than predicted in 2022 — an indication of actions on the ground to reduce instances of agricultural fires. Hoping for more momentum and efforts this year too,” he said. Predicting the pre-winter air quality crisis is difficult since there is wide variation in human and atmospheric factors: whether farmers choose to burn the paddy residue is a key determinant, as is the sort of weather that prevails (including wind direction). This year, farmers have also reported using a higher proportion of a new variety of paddy which matures early and leaves shorter remnants, potentially cutting the volumes needed to be burnt closer to the critical October-end, November-beginning period when the weather too is unsuited for blowing the smoke away. Authorities in both states have also said that they are making efforts to distribute and rent out new harvesting and seeding machines that do away with the need to burn paddy stubble. On the other hand, delayed rains also upset sowing schedules, potentially leaving farmers with a shorter window for them to ready their fields for the winter crops --- a crunch that is among the main reasons they take to burning the paddy residue. Data from the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change shows that last year, 49,992 stubble fires were reported from Punjab and 3,549 stubble fires reported from Haryana. In Punjab, 71,304 fires were recorded in 2021 and 82,693 fires were seen in 2020. Government data also showed that in Punjab last year, five districts reported the highest number of fires — Sangrur, Bhatinda, Firozpur, Muktsar and Moga. While local residents in these areas are the first victims of plumes of smoke released from such mass burning, Delhi also bears the brunt of Punjab and Haryana’s unchecked stubble fires every year, as the wind direction during these months carries pollutants to the Capital, setting the tone for the high pollution concentrations recorded in the city during winter months. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said that government agencies must increase monitoring and action against early signs of stubble fires. She also said that along with increased monitoring, administration should also ensure that machines to mulch stubble is also readily available to farmers. “The problem requires solution at multiple levels. You have to make machines accessible, provide financial incentives to farmers and also create a functional alternative for straw management. Meanwhile, on-ground monitoring of fires needs to happen more effectively,” said Roychowdhury.

Will weather aid in Delhi’s pollution fight like last year? Unlikely, say experts

According to an analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment, last winter, the average PM 2.5 level in the city was the lowest from 2018-19 onwards. With the paddy harvest and instances of stubble burning having picked up pace in the northern districts of Punjab, and winter around the corner, how is Delhi’s air quality likely to fare this winter? According to experts, the meteorological factors that helped keep Delhi’s air cleaner than usual last winter may not extend into the upcoming winter. Gufran Beig, founder-project director, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), said, “Last year, there were natural factors that came to NCR’s rescue. Wind speeds were higher for a majority of the time. But this year, that is unlikely because La Nina conditions are not there. Last year, due to La Nina conditions, winds in the northern part of India were faster, while it was calmer over the southwestern part of the country. That is one of the reasons that in the southwest, in Mumbai and other places, air quality had worsened. But in Delhi it was better relative to the previous year. This is unlikely in an El Nino year. This year, festivals are also around the time when it is colder. Steps will have to be taken.” La Nina refers to abnormally cool sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, while El Nino is the phenomenon of warmer waters in the Pacific Ocean. Last year, on the day after Diwali for instance, higher wind speeds had helped disperse pollutants, and Diwali was in October, when colder conditions had not yet set in. According to an analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment, last winter, the average PM 2.5 level in the city was the lowest from 2018-19 onwards. In November 2022, the daily peak contribution of stubble burning to PM 2.5 levels in Delhi was also lower than previous years, standing at 34%. This figure was over 40% in 2021, 2020 and 2019. Meanwhile, satellite data from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) shows that Punjab has recorded 456 crop residue burning events so far this season, while there have been 120 such instances in Haryana. VK Sehgal, Principal Scientist, IARI, said that in Punjab, the instances are mostly in Amritsar and Tarn Taran. “Harvesting has begun and peak of harvesting would come somewhere around the last week of October and first week of November,” he said. Delhi’s AQI was 146 in the ‘moderate’ category on Monday. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the AQI is likely to remain in the ‘moderate’ category from October 3 to 5. The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) came into effect on October 1, which means that measures under GRAP can begin to be invoked when the AQI is in the ‘poor’ category (201 to 300).

Can rooftop solar projects help states achieve their renewable purchase obligation targets?

by Down To Earth Many of the renewable-rich states in India, such as Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, are not able to meet their renewable purchase obligation (RPO) targets. RPO is a mechanism in which the obligated entities are mandated to purchase a minimum of their total power consumption from non-conventional energy sources such as solar and wind, according to the Electricity Act, 2003. For 2023, the government has mandated RPO compliance of 24.61 per cent, and for 2024, RPO compliance has been set at 27.08 per cent. Renewable energy service company (RESCO)-based Rooftop Solar Photo Voltaic (RTS PV) would help utilities achieve their RPO targets. RESCO is one of the models of RTS PV installation in which the project developer installs the RTS PV on the consumer’s (rented to the project developer) rooftop, and the consumer does not have to pay an upfront cost for installation. In a RESCO model, an energy provider delivers electricity produced by a solar power project to the grid or the consumer whose property in which the project is installed. RTS PV in the RESCO model would help the utilities achieve their RPO targets, reducing the need for renewable energy certificates (REC). In order to bridge the gap in fulfilling the RPO targets, distribution companies (DISCOMs) resort to buying RECs. For 2022-2023, 46 per cent of the country’s total renewable energy supply of 354 billion units (BU) is generated by large hydropower plants, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy statistics. The dependence on solar power has increased significantly recently, with a 29 per cent contribution in the current financial year, followed by wind energy. An analysis carried out by the Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment recommended RTS PV should be deployed in areas with high transmission and distribution (T&D) losses. DISCOMs can calculate the maximum value of the T&D loss beyond which the RTS PV can be beneficial for them. The per unit savings of the DISCOMs improve as T&D losses in the region increase. The RTS PV penetration level, however, increases the total savings for the DISCOMs. DISCOMs can be useful in many ways, such as lowering the tariff for the end-user, lowering the cross-subsidy charges, lowering the direct subsidy charges and profit sharing with end-users, among others. RTS PV can benefit low-paying end-users by lowering T&D losses in areas that have been difficult for the utility to manage. RTS PV systems facilitate local generation and distribution, incurring fewer losses as compared to the total T&D loss for the DISCOMs. Although there is currently no definitive information on the overall residential rooftop capacity to date, based on the information available in the public domain, residential RTS PV has a very nominal share. Nearly 2 gigawatts account for about 20 per cent of the overall RTS PV capacity. This does not indicate confidence in the residential sector, which is riddled with various challenges. Solar-based generation plays a predominant role in achieving RPO targets. This makes a compelling case for the states to pursue and scale up solar PV, maximising the potential for ground-mounted and rooftop solar PV. DISCOMs in states with strong financial status should work as producers, developers and financiers. The consumer database of the utilities is equipped with the knowledge of the T&D losses and the rooftop availability. They are up to date about the end-users behaviours and manage grid interconnections, metering, inspections, billing cycles and engineering procurement construction services. The solar PV production cost continues to fall, which means the PV market and the end-users will find a way to keep RTS PV moving forward regardless of the role played by the utilities. Given the potential of the residential, commercial and industrial RTS PV developments, it is critical to consider scaling rooftop solar PV in the residential segment to increase the share of clean power generation. This requires experimenting with various models involving multiple stakeholders. Most importantly, distribution companies with access to every grid-connected household/consumer in their respective jurisdiction of power supply can play the leading role in terms of mobilising consumers. Thereby, they can aggregate the potential and demand for rooftop solar PV, which would also augment their reliance on non-conventional energy sources in terms of procurement and supply, especially in rural areas. DISCOMs can partner with multiple stakeholders, such as developers and consumers, to conduct the feasibility analysis of projects, followed by project development through appropriate models such as CAPEX, OPEX (RESCO) and DISCOM-facilitated community projects. Considering the security of a long-term contract, renewable energy service companies (RESCO) have ranked low-paying end-users as ‘low.’ The tariffs on rooftop solar PV power are relatively high compared to the subsidised power that the low-paying end-users receive. Both these scenarios make the RESCO model unappealing for such end-users. The eventual alternative is the DISCOM-based model, but DISCOMs do not want to fund the system inherently. They are debt-ridden, with a weak financial position. One of the challenges faced by the Indian power sector is the compelling issue of aggregate technical and commercial losses (AT&C), which is lowered by RTS PV as generation and consumption are co-located. The places where AT&C losses are high can deploy RTS PV.

Countdown To COP28 UAE: The UAE Ambassador Brings Together Key Stakeholders To Build Collaboration For Climate Action

New Delhi – In the run-up to the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to be held at Expo City, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the UAE Ambassador to India, H.E. Dr. Abdulnasser Alshaali hosted a roundtable discussion with senior civil society and think tank leaders in New Delhi. The roundtable, which deliberated upon critical climate action strategies, highlighted the role of constructive dialogue in support of COP28 UAE outcomes, bringing together dignitaries from The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI); the International Solar Alliance (ISA); Centre for Science and Environment (CSE); Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW); Rockefeller Foundation and Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), among others. The roundtable underlined the UAE COP Presidency’s four-pillar strategy to accelerate global climate action, by fast-tracking the energy transition, transforming climate finance, focusing on lives and livelihoods, and full inclusivity of the COP process. As a milestone COP, the Presidency will work to ensure that the world moves forward from COP28 with a clear, collective, collaborative, and inclusive plan of action that leaves no one behind. Underlining this spirit of inclusion and collaboration, roundtable participants emphasised the scale of global climate change and its impact on communities around the world, highlighting the need for whole-of-society solutions. They highlighted the importance of working together post the G20 summit to ensure the implementation of climate financing and opportunities for climate action, commitments on mitigation, and adaptation. Reinforcing the importance of collective action, international cooperation, and shared responsibility in addressing the pressing challenges posed by climate change, H.E. Dr. Abdulnasser Alshaali, the UAE Ambassador to India, stated, “The UAE is fully committed to playing a pivotal role in advancing climate action and fostering collaboration among nations as we head towards the first global evaluation of Paris COP21. India has been a valued partner to the UAE Presidency’s vision for COP, and today’s roundtable is a testament to our collective dedication to creating a resilient future for all by enabling an inclusive and solutions-oriented COP28.” The roundtable discussions reaffirmed the COP28 UAE’s aim to disrupt business-as-usual climate approaches, unite around decisive action, and achieve game-changing results in an inclusive manner, bolstering the UAE’s call to the world to Unite. Act. Deliver. The COP28 roundtable in New Delhi was held as a precursor to COP28, which will be held from November 30 to December 12, 2023.

Triple jeopardy in health

We now know that antibiotics — medicines that we take in times of grave health dangers — are getting increasingly ineffective in killing the microbes that make us ill. This silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is caused by overuse and misuse of antibiotics, which has made pathogens mutate and build defence mechanisms against these drugs. Today, AMR is taking lives. Estimates say that the inability of life-saving medicines to work led to some five million deaths in 2019. This is not all. Not only are we not conserving the existing stock of medicines, the drug pipeline for new antibiotics is drying up, or has done so already. Major pharmaceutical companies in the business of research, development, and discoveries are opting out of this line of medicine. It would mean that in the years to come we are in for triple jeopardy. One, the antibiotics we know today would be increasingly ineffective; two, there would be no new antibiotics available; and, three, there would be a critical need for access to these medicines for all. This is a dire health emergency — perhaps more serious than anything we have seen to date. In the 1940s, after the Second World War, there was mass production of penicillin — the first antibiotic, discovered in 1928 — and the world’s dependence on this line of medicines grew substantially. More discoveries were made in the decades that followed. But all this stopped by the 1980s. What then happened was not discovery of novel classes of antimicrobials, but reformulation of the same classes of drugs against which bacteria can develop resistance easily. The problem is compounded because there are, what the World Health Organization (WHO) calls, “priority pathogens”. Most of these priority pathogens are Gram-negative bacteria that have complex cell walls and cause some of the worst infections in the world, including pneumonia. We need new classes of antibiotics to address these priority pathogens and we need them to be accessible to people across the world, even those who do not have the ability to pay the high cost of new drugs. The WHO’s annual review of antimicrobial agents in different stages of drug development reveals that in the past five years, only two of the 12 antibiotics approved can be considered novel; and of these, only one is targeting a “critical” priority pathogen. (The WHO’s priority pathogens are sub-categorised into “critical”, “high”, and “medium”). What’s worse is that the drug pipeline is drying up, and fast. For the past few years, only one or two antibiotics have made it to the stage of new drug application. The future is even bleaker. There are just nine new drug candidates in phase 3 of clinical trials — the point before a drug can make it to the approval stage — and most of them do not target critical priority pathogens. The real irony is that this does not mean there is no research on novel antibiotics. The pre-clinical basket has over 217 antimicrobial possibilities. However, these are being developed not by large pharmaceutical firms but in the backrooms of universities and small businesses. According to the WHO, 80 per cent of the pre-clinical novel drug finds are in businesses with less than 50 employees. But as the drug moves up the ladder, the costs of development increase, and innovation falls through the cracks. So, why is Big Pharma not investing in R&D, or not even taking the innovation from the small businesses to big markets, or not using it to make big finds? Worse, why is Big Pharma getting out of the antibiotic business, when, as my colleagues in their analysis ask, they are making humongous profits through other drugs? The reasons are both economic and moral. Pharmaceutical companies say the cost of development is high; there are risks and so on. But the real reason is that there is much more profit in drugs that are used for treating diseases like cancer or diabetes. There is even more profit in doing research and bringing to the market drugs that are made for what are called orphan diseases — rare diseases that may afflict only a few million, but for which medicines are necessary and high-end. The moral issue is that the companies are exiting the critical antibiotic business when they are making record profits. This desperate health emergency calls for game-changing solutions. This class of medicines is defined by two imperatives. One, their usage has to be limited — misuse and overuse is what is creating the problem of AMR. These life-saving drugs must be conserved, which means careful, restricted use, even if less money is made in sales. Two, access to these medicines is to be ensured — this means that drugs will have to be affordable, which also limits the profit interests of pharmaceutical firms. So, it is time to look at antibiotics as a global public good. This would perhaps mean new taxes — on profits of pharmaceutical firms — and creating conditions that ensure public research is used for the common good. We cannot fail even if the markets fail.

Delhi govt on course to remove mountains of garbage: CM Kejriwal

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal inspected the Bhalswa landfill in north Delhi on Saturday and said over 4.5 million tonne of garbage will be removed from the site by May 15, 2024. Kejriwal said that nearly 35 acres of land will subsequently be reclaimed, adding that the work was progressing at a fast pace. “We promised the people of Delhi that we would remove the garbage hills in Delhi. The target was set to remove 1.4 million tonne of garbage from Bhalswa by September 30. The agency has already removed more than 1.8 million tonne. With this speed, it is expected that by May 15, 2024, instead of the designated target of 3 million tonne, 4.5 million tonne of garbage will be removed,” Kejriwal said. Delhi is sitting on around 27 million tonne of waste across three landfills at Bhalswa, Ghazipur and Okhla. Clearing Delhi’s garbage mountains was the first of the 10 “guarantees” that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) made in the run-up to the civic polls in December 2022. After winning the elections, the AAP-led MCD on March 3 this year announced that the project has been expedited, with a target to clear Okhla by December 2023, Bhalswa by March 2024, and Ghazipur by December 2024. The erstwhile three municipal corporations in July 2019 began an ambitious project to clear the three landfills in Delhi through the process of biomining after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered that the Capital’s legacy waste dumps be cleared within a year. HT had reported on September 24 that four years on, since the AAP came to power, the process to clear these “garbage mountains” at Okhla, Bhalswa, and Ghazipur has made little headway — the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s latest progress report dated July 31 this year noted that the civic body has been able to clear 8,999,000 tonne of legacy waste — less than a third of the original 28,000,000 tonne of legacy waste. Kejriwal said the work at Bhalswa began in November last year and the goal was to remove approximately 3 million tonne within the next 18 months. By September 30, 2023, the target was to remove around 1.4 million tonne. “It is reported that approximately 6 to 6.5 million tonne of garbage are at the Bhalswa landfill site. In addition to this, the site receives about 2,000 tonne of new garbage daily. The process of hiring another agency is underway so that both agencies can work together to completely clear the site,” Kejriwal said. Earlier, an MCD officer associated with the landfill projects had said that over the last year, from July 2022 to July 2023, 3,553,000 tonne of waste was biomined from the three landfills, but around 2,226,000 tonne of fresh waste was dumped there in the same period, making for slow progress. Another senior MCD official had said the Okhla and Bhalswa deadlines were unrealistic. “The progress of biomining operations further slowed down due to the rainy season,” the official said. Biomining is a process through which various components of legacy waste, such as plastic, paper, cloth, sand, and bricks are separated by passing them through trommel machines, which act as cylindrical rotating sieves. The chief minister also said that a second agency will be hired to remove the remaining garbage after the 4.5 million tonne is removed. “We are waiting for the Supreme Court’s order regarding this after which elections for the standing committee will be held. Tenders cannot be issued without the recommendation of the standing committee, so this is stuck in a legal process,” Kejriwal said. The CM has planned to visit the other two landfill sites as well. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party Delhi chief Virendra Sachdeva visited the Ghazipur landfill site and claimed that the work on waste disposal was progressing at a snail’s pace. The Ghazipur landfill is the largest among the three landfill sites. “When BJP was in power in MCD, around 4,500 tonne of garbage was processed every day, now under AAP only around 1,300 tonne is processed out of the 2,450 tonne dumped daily. It is leading to the creation of a new mountain of waste at the landfill site,” Sachdeva said. Sachdeva claimed that the work at Ghazipur has stopped for the past eight months, adding that less than 10,000 metric tonne of garbage is disposed of daily from Ghazipur. He said that about 2,500 MT of garbage was being added to the Ghazipur landfill every day, resulting in a new garbage mountain. Meanwhile, experts said that the disposal of fresh municipal solid waste at dumps was still a matter of grave concern. “While it’s good that efforts are underway, there is a pressing need to develop comprehensive strategies to manage fresh waste. Unfortunately, Delhi has lagged behind in this regard, with questionable collection coverage and a lack of recycling and treatment facilities,” said Richa Singh, programme manager, solid waste management and circular economy, Centre for Science and Environment.

All you need to know about ban on large diesel generators in Delhi-NCR

Ahead of the upcoming winter season known for increased pollution levels, the ban on diesel generators is scheduled to take effect on October 1. As per the directives of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), after September 30, the use of diesel generators will be prohibited throughout the National Capital Region (NCR). However, on Friday CAQM offered a partial exemption, allowing the use of diesel generators for essential services in the NCR up to December 31. All you need to know about ban on large diesel generators What CAQM has specified Starting in October, diesel generator sets with a capacity ranging from 19kW to 125kW will be required to operate in dual fuel mode. However, these devices can only be utilised for a maximum of two hours a day when the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) restrictions are in effect. Diesel generator sets with a power capacity of 125kW to 800kW must operate in dual fuel mode and also need to be retrofitted with Emission Control Devices (ECDs). Generator sets exceeding 800kW must be retrofitted with either dual fuel kits or ECDs, but they can also be operated for up to two hours a day if GRAP measures are in place. Resistance from residential clusters and industries Many industries and residential clusters have expressed concerns about their inability to either transition from diesel generators to Piped Natural Gas (PNG) or use dual fuel due to the substantial costs involved. They have also emphasized the necessity of uninterrupted power supply to industries from distribution companies (discoms). Who does this apply to? All residential, commercial, and industrial establishments are required to switch to modified generators that emit relatively fewer pollutants compared to their diesel counterparts. This includes hospitals, residential societies, offices, and factories. Pollution from diesel generators Diesel generator sets are known to be highly polluting devices. An analysis conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found that, on average, a 250kVA DG set emits 3kg of nitrogen oxides (NOx), 1.5kg of carbon monoxide (CO), and 0.183kg of PM10 pollutants if it operates for three hours a day. Expert opinions A consistent supply of electricity to all households, industries, hospitals, etc., would eliminate the need for reliance on diesel generator sets. In addition to air pollution, diesel emissions pose a carcinogenic risk to individuals with prolonged exposure to fumes from DG sets. Patial Relief | Permission for essential services until the year end Extension for essential services CAQM has extended three months permission for the use of diesel generator sets for essential services purely to avoid disruptions in emergency services and to provide more time for the implementation of emission control measures. CAQM had previously stated that the ban on diesel generators, enforced annually during winter to combat air pollution, would also encompass essential services. The one-time exception applies to nine categories, including - Commercial and residential complexes employing elevators, escalators, and travelators. (Subject to the DG set operation being purely limited to operation of elevators / escalators / travelators etc. and not for any other activities of commercial entities / residential societies.) - Medical facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes using critical medical equipment. - Railway services / Railway stations - Metro Rail & MRTS Services, including trains and stations - Airports and Inter-State Bus Terminals (ISBTs) - Sewage treatment plants - Water pumping stations - Projects of national significance related to national security - Services related to telecommunications, information technology, and data management

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal unveils 15-point winter action plan

NEW DELHI: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal unveiled a 15-point winter action plan on Friday and stressed the cooperation of NCR states to make the season less harsh on everyone. "Pollution knows no boundaries. The air from Haryana comes to Delhi, and Delhi's air goes to Uttar Pradesh," he said. Hotspot-specific action plans, monitoring of open-waste burning, and alternative routes on 90 roads are part of the action plan. Track the pollution level in your city CM: Use Green Delhi app to report polluting activities Data from the Centre for Science and Environment shows that 31% of pollution in Delhi is due to internal sources, while 69% is from external sources. We appeal to neighbouring states to allow CNG-based vehicles to enter Delhi, their industries don't use polluting fuel, brick kilns use zig-zag technology. There should be 24-hour electricity supply to avoid the need for generators. There should be a complete ban on firecrackers in the NCR," said Kejriwal. Stating that the pollution level in the city has declined in Delhi by 30% over the past few years, the CM said that multiple teams have been constituted to check dust pollution, 385 teams to check PUC certificate and keep old vehicles from plying, 600 teams to check open burning and 67 teams to check industrial pollution. "There will be strict monitoring of construction sites, anti-dust machines will be used, and efforts made to reduce vehicular pollution. Additionally, there will be a ban on open-waste burning. If pollution levels rise, Graded Response will be implemented rigorously, and collaborative efforts with neighboring states will continue," said Kejriwal. The 15-point action plan includes identification of 13 hotspots with specific action plan; spraying bio-decomposer to discourage stubble burning; controlling dust pollution at construction sites, mechanical road sweeping; curbing vehicular pollution; ban on open-waste burning; ensuring that 1727 Industrial units in Delhi don't use unauthorised fuel; establishing green war room; and encouraging people to use Green Delhi App. "Green Delhi App launched 3 years ago, has become quite popular among the public. The app has received more than 70,470 complaints so far. Out of these, 63,344 complaints have been resolved, which is 90%. We appeal to all residents of Delhi to download the Green Delhi App on their mobile phones and report any pollution-related activities anywhere in Delhi. We will take action based on those reports," said Kejriwal. The CM said a 'Real-Time Source Apportionment Study' is being conducted in collaboration with IIT Delhi and Delhi Pollution Control Committee for which a super site has been established at Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya on Rouse Avenue Road. "The data from this study will be used to take focused actions in various areas," said Kejriwal. As part of efforts to increase green cover, he said, more than 1 crore new saplings will be planted, out of which the Delhi government will plant 52 lakh saplings.

Delhi CM unveils 15-point winter pollution plan

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday announced a 15-point ‘winter action plan’ to deal with air pollution in the national capital during winter, with the same points announced as part of a similar plan last year. Pointing out that the issue of pollution is not just Delhi’s, Kejriwal appealed to the states in the NCR to ensure that electricity is supplied round-the-clock to prevent use of generator sets. He also added that a meeting would have to be called, either by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) or the Union government, so that a joint plan can be made. “The issue is not just of Delhi. People of Punjab, Haryana and UP also need to get clean air,” he said at a press conference. Addressing the issue of stubble burning in Punjab, Kejriwal said: “Last year, stubble burning had fallen by 30% compared to the previous year. This year, the Punjab government has taken steps, which include diversification of crops, that is growing crops other than paddy, to which there has been a good response. Another step is varieties of paddy – focus on short-term varieties that generate less stubble and leave more time to dispose of stubble. There has been a good response to this too. For ex-situ management of stubble, some companies have come forward and adopted districts. In those districts, these companies will transport the stubble and will convert it into energy or fertilizer. It will be difficult to say how much stubble burning will be reduced this year, but there should be an improvement.” Paddy stubble burning events in Punjab have seen a marginal uptick recently, with 68 burning events being recorded on Friday, as per IARI data from satellites. This is up from 33 on Thursday, 21 on Wednesday and three on Tuesday. A combination of factors — low wind speeds, cold temperatures, smoke from stubble burning in other parts of northwest India, emissions from other sources like vehicles and industries — keep the NCR’s air polluted in winter. An analysis of air pollution in the NCR last winter by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) had said that Delhi’s average PM2.5 levels from October 1 to January 31 was highest among 27 NCR towns and cities, including Noida, Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Gurgaon, and Faridabad. Measures that city will be taking this year are similar to those taken last year – checking construction sites for enforcement of dust pollution norms, anti-smog guns, mechanised sweeping, checking of PUC certificates, a war room for monitoring, and focused action at the city’s 13 air pollution hotspots, which includes Anand Vihar, Jahangirpuri, RK Puram and Punjabi Bagh. Kejriwal also pointed out measures that have been taken so far, including shutting off the two coal-based power plants in the city, purchasing new buses including 800 electric ones, Delhi’s Electric Vehicle Policy, and industrial units being made to shift to PNG use. He added that there has been a reduction in pollution, though the situation is not yet “ideal.”