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Paris Finance Summit fails to push revolutionary solutions

“Today, the most vulnerable countries, which also need funding for climate mitigation, have a crushingly high debt burden. We can no longer talk about small changes, or about short-changing the poor. We need answers and we need them fast,” says Sunita Narain, director general, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), commenting on the recently concluded Summit for a New Global Financing Pact, held in Paris. “The summit did not precipitate any transformational solutions, but it started a conversation on the climate and development financing crisis, and this momentum cannot be lost,” Narain added. The first of its kind Paris Summit was spearheaded by President Emmanuel Macron of France, and was attended by many leaders from the developing world and Europe. It aimed at addressing the lack of money flowing to poor and vulnerable countries as they battle “a cocktail of interconnected crises” -- as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia put it: poverty, debt and inflation triggered due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and increasing climate impacts. Says Avantika Goswami, programme manager, climate change, CSE, who also attended the Summit proceedings in person: “Countries of the Global South are in a debt crisis and are facing pressure to decarbonise their economies -- without adequate climate finance flowing in. The Summit was never expected to solve these problems in a day and a half, but it has started a crucial conversation. It shone a spotlight on the scale of these crises, the clear demands from countries of the Global South, and the pathways of action that the Global North is choosing to advocate for.” Avantika underlines the scale of the problem by quoting world leaders who attended the Summit. Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia said: “African countries are facing an unprecedented funding squeeze. Public and private debt has reached new heights. Inflation in almost all commodities has risen sharply, and today daily meals are the biggest issue for many Africans.” Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbadosgave a rallying call: “The developing world is sinking from debt. The UK took a hundred years to repay its debt for World War I; Germany had all the benefits of being able to have its debt service capped at 3 to 5 percent of its GDP in order to rebuild after World War II. We are people too, we are countries too, and we deserve a similar treatment.” What is Global South seeking? Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) have been at the center of the discussion on financial systems reform. According to Indian finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, MDBs are “being asked by non-borrowing shareholders to also address transboundary challenges, along with their core development mandate”. Says Goswami: “This will increase the pressure on MDBs’ resources. Developed countries want to squeeze more out of existing MDB resources, whilst simultaneously adding on climate as a part of the Banks’ mandate. Developed countries are resistant to paying more money from their budgets and also risking more influence from large economies such as India and China if their paid-in share rises.” Countries of Global Southare asking for more concessional and grant financingand a reduction in debt levels in developing countries, including debt cancellations for least developed countries. Deals such as Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP) must consider each country’s circumstances, the needs of workers and communities, and development goals to address poverty and unemployment, as pointed out by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. They must be flexible to accept that some fossil fuel generation might need to remain in existence to serve the country’s basic energy needs. And they must offer adequate financing. In the case of South Africa, for instance, the financing of US $8.5 billion that has been offered is far below the country’s estimated need of US $98 billion. Kenya has called for aglobal financing mechanism that is not hostage to national or shareholder interests, while Brazil has asked why it must trade in dollars and not in its own currency. What the Summit announced MDBs: A contentious MDB Vision Statement document did not get full consensus at the Summit. Separately, it was announced that an additional lending capacity of US $200 billion would be unlocked for emerging economies. The World Bank announced disaster clauses for debt deals that would suspend debt payment in the case of extreme weather events. The Bank also unveiled a Private Sector Investment Lab to “develop and rapidly scale solutions that address the barriers that are preventing the private sector from investing – at scale – in emerging markets and developing countries, with a specific focus on renewable energy and energy infrastructure”. Special Drawing Rights (SDRs): IMF announced that US $100 billion in SDRs for vulnerable nations has been met. The ‘recycling’ of SDRs from rich countries whose central banks do not need the cushioning, to poor countries who need them or MDBs who can channel them, has been proposed as a means to expand the amount of concessional finance available for developing countries. A new JETP: A new Euro 2.5 billion Just Energy Transition Partnership deal was announced for Senegal with a consortium of developed countries -- the goal is to increase the share of renewable energy in installed capacity to 40 per cent of Senegal’s electricity mix by 2030. Polluter taxes: Many groups called for a tax on shipping emissions. More traction is expected on this issue at the International Maritime Organisation meeting in July. Support is also growing for a financial transactions tax. Debt: Colombia and Kenya have proposed a Global Expert Review on Debt, Nature and Climate to “assess the impact of debt on low- and medium-income countries capacity to preserve nature, adapt to climate change and decarbonise their economies”. Carbon markets: The EU unveiled a call to action on ‘Paris Aligned Carbon Markets’ with the goal of covering at least 60 per cent of global emissions with carbon pricing mechanisms (compared to 4 per cent today) and allocating a proportion of the revenues to climate finance. Climate finance goal: It was suggested that the long overdue US $100 billion climate finance goal will be delivered this year. Says Narain: “Every climate change disaster takes the Global South countries to greater indebtedness as they borrow to survive and rebuild. This year, we need to discuss structural issues that underpin the vast inequities in the world, which make it certain that countries in the Global South cannot afford the price of adaptation or mitigation. And we need to find the money and we need to do this fast.” Goswami sums it up: “What was evident from the Paris Summit is that the demands from the developing world seem to be falling on deaf ears. Peddling false solutions, offering piecemeal and inadequate debt relief efforts, and shifting the onus to the private sectorwas the plan that developed countries offered in Paris.” (Centre for Science and Environment)

Hot and thirsty? Let’s drink some…microplastics!

Just ahead of World Water Day on March 22nd this year, a report released by the United Nations showed that the bottled mineral water industry in India had grown by 27% between 2018 and 2021, the second fastest growth recorded globally. The signs are all around us – discarded bottles everywhere, wherever you go. But have you considered that with every gulp you take from a plastic bottle, you could actually be introducing microplastic particles into your body? In 2018, a study reported that eleven globally sourced brands of bottled water, purchased in nine different countries including India, were tested for microplastic contamination. Of the 259 total bottles processed, 93% showed some sign of microplastic contamination. Such is the menace of microplastics, the invisible pollutant that is not only wreaking havoc on marine and terrestrial ecosystems, but is also permeating all that we eat and drink, through a variety of channels. World Environment Day 2023 has indeed cranked up the volume of the discourse around plastic pollution. But while the dangers of single-use plastic are in plain sight and easy to comprehend, the more insidious threat of microplastics needs to be understood better. It is not just the water we drink. A kilo of sea salt has anywhere between 35 and 575 particles of microplastics. Every 100 gm of fish caught off the coast of Mumbai has about 80 particles of microplastics, according to a survey by Central Institute of Fisheries Education. Microplastics may be causing growth defects in fish, a study by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) revealed. The research also detected microplastics in the waters of Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) dam in Karnataka’s Mandya district. Among fruits and vegetables, apples and carrots have the highest number of microplastics, as found in a study, conducted to evaluate the number and size of microplastic particles in the most commonly consumed vegetables and fruits. But what are microplastics and why should we be concerned about these? What can we, as individuals, do to mitigate the effects of microplastic pollution? Tracing the sources The United Nations Environment Programme defines microplastics as tiny plastic particles up to 5mm in diameter. It is easy to identify some common contributors of microplastics such as single-use plastic, but there are many other hidden ones: fibres released from washing clothes, particles shed from car tyres, microbeads in cosmetic products, road markings and much more. And while the components of microplastics differ from one locality to the other, there are only two ways in which they are generated. “One is through abrasion and breakdown of larger items that contain plastic. Another is through purposeful creation of microplastic particles (such as microbeads) for consumer products or industrial applications,” said Dr Anna Posacka, Chief Scientific Officer of Ocean Diagnostics, a Canada-based environmental impact company that enables researchers and citizens to have better access to microplastic data. The microplastics we find in water in plastic bottles are due to the first. An example of the second can be found in the microbeads in your face wash. These enter the sewerage system but as the tiny particles cannot be filtered in wastewater plants, they enter the rivers and eventually reach the oceans. Small marine species consume them, mistaking them for food. As these particles take years to break down, they can be traced eventually in the fish we consume. Similarly, microplastics get transferred to salt from the seawater that is used in salt production. A study conducted by IIT-Bombay in 2018 using salt samples from the markets of Mumbai proved the presence of microplastics. Between 56 and 103 particles were found in each kilogram of the salt sample. However, the same study also provides a solution – filtering seawater to reduce the transfer. “Cracks in the roots of lettuce and wheat crops can take in microplastics from the surrounding soil and water,” mentioned a study published in Nature Sustainability by researchers at Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, in China, and Leiden University, in the Netherlands. “Those microplastics can then travel from the roots up to the edible parts of the crop,” it added. Studies note that they reach the stem and leaves through the roots and contaminate the food chain. In the marine ecosystem, discarded fish gear or other plastics degenerate into microplastics either from sunlight or movement against rocks. All varieties of plastics that enter the marine ecosystem, including discarded fish gear (contributing to 10% of global marine pollution), break into microplastics over time. Mistaking them for food, fish eat them. A study conducted by the Cochin University of Science and Technology documented microplastic presence in the edible and inedible tissues of nine species of pelagic fishes from the Cochin coast, that are commonly consumed by humans. “They (microplastics) largely come from land. All plastic that comes from land eventually makes its way to the oceans through runoff from land into streams and creeks, into rivers and estuaries and from there to the ocean,” said Dr Jesse Meiller, an environmental toxicologist in her Tedx Talk. The bigger concern Studies have now found the presence of microplastics in the human digestive system, brain and also in breast milk. “The chemical used to make plastics – Bisphenol A – is associated with an increased risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. There is a possibility that these chemicals could be found in microplastics too,” says Upendra Nongthomba, Professor, Developmental and Biomedical Genetics Laboratory, IISc. IISc’s research has established the link between microplastics and increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and abnormal concentration that can kill cells and harm body organs. “Our unpublished data suggests that the presence of microplastics in the gut itself is enough to cause behavioural defects, by generating gut microbiota dysbiosis,” said the professor. “Plastics are a carrier of pollutants including the ‘dirty dozen’- a group of dangerous chemicals called Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs),” explains Monika Khanna Gulati, founder of NCR Waste Matters – a citizen action and awareness group, “As per the World Health Organisation, human exposure for some compounds and scenarios, even to low levels of POPs, can lead to many health effects. These include increased cancer risk, reproductive disorders, alteration of the immune system, neuro-behavioural impairment, endocrine disruption, genotoxicity and increased birth defects.” There are multiple studies that predict negative outcomes of plastics on human health but even globally, none of them have really established the exact risks to human health from microplastics. “It’s not easy to study the health hazard impacts of microplastics. Making micro-and nano-plastics in laboratory conditions and characterising them requires sophisticated tools. But it is doable if there are grants from philanthropists and CSR groups to support our work,” says Upendra. The diverse components of plastic and the need for long-term data on human studies add to the complexity. “Each microplastic particle is unique, like a snowflake, and may cause different toxic effects. Researchers have made great progress in developing methods to accurately extract and characterise microplastics in the environment, and it is only in recent years that research has shifted towards human studies,” says Anna. “The plastic manufacturing industry uses 10,000 to 13,000 different chemicals. Any plastic product has 23 different chemicals that are unknown to us. The industry doesn’t disclose it under the pretext of protecting its intellectual property rights. But it is a sheer violation of human rights.” – Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh, Programme Manager, Environmental Governance and Solid Waste Management, Centre for Science and Environment. Policy paralysis Lack of funding and unavailability of adequate tools pose a challenge in the research. “All countries must put their collective might behind collecting data, doing research and sharing outcomes to escape the next pandemic. Bring the research to support policy and legislative decisions which are firmly executed on the ground,” says Monika. At a policy level, however, there has hardly been any action to tackle the issue of microplastics in India. “The discussion, especially in policy, has not reached a stage where we start discussing microplastics as an issue. Even our policymakers look at plastics as a waste management problem and not really as a threat to human health. We can definitely not expect to have policies on microplastics unless this perspective changes,” says Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh, Programme Manager, Environmental Governance and Solid Waste Management, Centre for Science and Environment. “India has good legislation on plastic waste management. There is a ban on single-use plastics which lists close to 21 different plastic items that are illegal to produce, sell, use and distribute. But we failed miserably in effective implementation of the ban”, adds Siddharth. The onus is on us “Local regulations, industrial activities, waste management practices, and the degree of plastic usage and manufacturing can significantly influence the distribution and prevalence of microplastics in different environments, says Dr Anna Posacka. Even if the impact of microplastic pollution on human health has not yet been understood and analysed in granular detail, it is certain that it results in negative outcomes. Mitigating microplastic pollution requires rejection of plastic, and thus, as consumers, here are a few strategies we can adopt: Avoid using personal care products that contain microbeads. Remember, microbeads are found in exfoliating scrubs, face wash, detergents, dish washing soap and creams. Look for “microbead-free” labels and choose products with natural exfoliants instead. Stop using single-use plastic products which are often discarded within minutes of use. These invariably find their way into our soil and water. Carry your own bottle of water and minimise use of products with plastic packaging. Support citizen groups fighting for the effective implementation of plastic ban laws. Support policies that aid alternative green technologies through subsidies and tax benefits. Join and share anti-plastic campaigns and petititions, such as this.

Beyond diesel: Moving communities in developing countries off generators

Is transition to renewables possible for the millions of people reliant on highly polluting off-grid machines for power? According to Alan Greenshields, Director EMEA of ESS Inc, the answer lies in an iron flow battery solution capable of releasing clean energy over a ten hour period. Air pollution from the combustion of fossil fuels is creating an ongoing global public health crisis. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) illustrates that ambient air pollution caused 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide in 2019 with almost 89% of those in low- and middle income countries. Climate change, one of the most significant environmental challenges of our time, is driving the global transition to clean energy. As we address this global challenge, we have the opportunity not only to reduce carbon emissions, but to improve air quality in communities worldwide which currently experience the worst fossil fuel pollution. Large fossil-fuelled power stations and motor vehicles are commonly blamed for air pollution, but often-overlooked are the polluting diesel generators which tend to be located in populated areas. In many developing countries, the unpredictability of the grid necessitates the use of these diesel generators to ensure reliable, resilient power, regardless of their high cost and the toxic pollutants they emit. Despite their drawbacks, these diesel generators are a critical electricity source for millions of homes and businesses. Fortunately, clean energy technologies are now available which can replace these dirty diesel generators and provide clean, reliable energy 24/7. New battery technologies, such as the iron flow batteries manufactured by ESS, can be deployed either as standalone backup systems or incorporated into community-scale solar + storage microgrids to replace backup diesel generation and ensure clean air. Dirty Diesel There are estimated to be 82.6 millions diesel generators in use globally. In the developing world, these generators provide an estimated350–500 gigawatts (GW) of energy across 20-30 million individual sites, permeating communities worldwide. This generation capacity is equivalent to hundreds of coal power stations. But, while large central power stations are typically located in remote areas, diesel generators are found in urban areas where their particulate, nitrogen oxide, and carbon monoxide pollution is particularly harmful to local communities. While particularly acute in the developing world, developed economies do not fully avoid the impacts of diesel generators either: industry relies on diesel generators for construction, off-grid applications (such as agriculture),and as back-up power for critical infrastructure such as hospitals and data centres. A recent study by the Centre for Science and Environment provides one example in a community in India where diesel generators operated several hours a day increased particulate matter (PM) such as PM2.5 and PM10 by 30% and 50-100% compared to levels before their operation. (PM2.5 and PM10 refer to inhalable particles in the air measuring 2.5 and 10 micrometres in diameter, respectively.) PM2.5 poses the most critical threat to human health. These particles can affect an individual’s lungs and heart and have been linked to heart disease, asthma and reduced lung function. Particulates can also affect water and soil quality, and damage sensitive forests and farm crops. A report on London air pollution stated that 26% of the PM2.5 and 40% of the PM10 from diesel fuel combustion comes from construction, industrial and commercial applications, not automobiles. In California, their emissions are estimated to cost $136 million in annual health costs, underscoring the global nature of the risk. Sun, Wind and Long-duration Energy Storage Offer a Path Forward The ultimate answer is clearly to transition to renewable energy sources which emit little or no pollution. Replacing a fossil-fuel generator with solar and wind power will limit particulates almost immediately while also quickly reducing or eliminating other pollutants in ambient air. The transition is not without challenges. As renewable energy is increasingly deployed to the grid, it is becoming clear that the intermittency of wind and solar remains a challenge to reliability and grid stability. Today, if the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing, diesel gensets are needed to fill the gap in many places. “Green” datacentres that are designed to be powered exclusively by renewables are forced to depend on diesel generators for back-up. Amazon Web Services recently announced that it was purchasing over 100 diesel generators, and that is just for its datacentres in Ireland. To realise the benefits of renewables, clean energy sources will need to be coupled with energy storage to provide reliable, resilient energy and avoid the need for diesel generation. Emerging long-duration energy storage technologies can store and deploy hours of clean energy and enable renewable energy to be available on demand. For example, ESS iron flow batteries provide up to 12 hours of energy storage. In addition, they are safe and nontoxic, and can be safely sited in populated areas, providing safe, clean energy whenever needed.

कैसे जलवायु परिवर्तन भारत में पर्यावरण संकट पैदा कर रहा है?

मूसलाधार बारिश के कारण भारत के कुछ हिस्सों में अचानक बाढ़ और भूस्खलन हुआ है, जिससे मौत और विनाश हुआ है। असहनीय गर्मी की लहर के बाद भारी बारिश आती है। पिछले कुछ दिनों में उत्तर भारत के कुछ हिस्सों में तीव्र मानसूनी बारिश हुई है, जिससे मौत और विनाश के निशान छोड़ गए हैं, साथ ही कई क्षेत्र दुर्गम हो गए हैं। हिमाचल प्रदेश राज्य सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित हुआ है। टेलीविज़न फ़ुटेज में भूस्खलन और अचानक आई बाढ़, वाहनों को बहाते हुए, इमारतों को नष्ट करते हुए और पुलों को ढहते हुए दिखाया गया है। भारत मौसम विज्ञान विभाग के मुताबिक, जुलाई के पहले हफ्ते में देशभर में हुई मूसलाधार बारिश से अब तक सामान्य से करीब 2% ज्यादा बारिश हो चुकी है। एजेंसी ने आने वाले दिनों में उत्तर भारत के बड़े हिस्से में और बारिश की भविष्यवाणी की है। विभाग के एक अधिकारी ने डीडब्ल्यू को बताया, "यह क्षेत्र, जो आमतौर पर सबसे शुष्क क्षेत्रों में से एक है, में अनुपातहीन रूप से अधिक बारिश हुई है।" ग्रीष्म, या दक्षिण-पश्चिम, मानसून भारत में वार्षिक वर्षा का लगभग 70% लाता है। यह देश की कृषि के लिए महत्वपूर्ण है, जो भारत के कुल आर्थिक उत्पादन का केवल 11% हिस्सा है, लेकिन 40% से अधिक श्रम शक्ति को रोजगार देता है। बारिश अक्सर बाढ़ और भूस्खलन से बड़े पैमाने पर तबाही और मौत का कारण बनती है। वैज्ञानिकों का कहना है कि बारिश का पूर्वानुमान लगाना कठिन है और इसमें काफी भिन्नता होती है, लेकिन जलवायु परिवर्तन मानसून को मजबूत और अधिक अनियमित बना रहा है, जिससे बाढ़ की आवृत्ति और तीव्रता बढ़ रही है। "मानव-प्रेरित जलवायु परिवर्तन पहले से ही भारत में हाइड्रोलॉजिकल चरम को तीव्र कर रहा है, और उत्तर भारत के कुछ हिस्सों में हाल ही में आई बाढ़ इस बात का एक और उदाहरण है कि कैसे चरम घटनाएं मैदानी इलाकों की तुलना में पहाड़ी क्षेत्रों में अधिक विनाशकारी हो सकती हैं," अक्षय देवरस, एक शोध वैज्ञानिक यूनाइटेड किंगडम के नेशनल सेंटर फॉर एटमॉस्फेरिक साइंस और यूनिवर्सिटी ऑफ रीडिंग के मौसम विज्ञान विभाग ने डीडब्ल्यू को बताया। देवरस ने कहा कि ग्रीनहाउस गैसों के बढ़ते उत्सर्जन के कारण ग्रह लगातार गर्म होता जा रहा है, जिससे चरम मौसम की घटनाएं तेज होने वाली हैं। "इसका मतलब यह नहीं है कि उच्च प्रभाव वाली घटनाएं हर साल घटित होंगी," उन्होंने कहा, "लेकिन, जब भी वे घटित होंगी, इस बात की अधिक संभावना होगी कि वे पिछली ऐसी घटनाओं की तुलना में अधिक प्रभावशाली होंगी।" 2022 चरम मौसम की घटनाएं 2022 में, नई दिल्ली स्थित जनहित अनुसंधान और वकालत संगठन, सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट ने भारत में चरम मौसम की घटनाओं पर नज़र रखी। इससे पता चला कि कुल मिलाकर भारत ने 365 दिनों में से 314 दिनों में चरम मौसम की घटनाओं का अनुभव किया, जिसका अर्थ है कि इनमें से प्रत्येक दिन भारत के किसी न किसी हिस्से में कम से कम एक चरम मौसम की घटना की सूचना मिली थी। रिपोर्ट ने निष्कर्ष निकाला कि इन घटनाओं के कारण 2022 में 3,000 से अधिक मौतें हुईं, लगभग 2 मिलियन हेक्टेयर (4.8 मिलियन एकड़) फसल क्षेत्र प्रभावित हुआ, पशुधन के रूप में उपयोग किए जाने वाले 69,000 से अधिक जानवर मारे गए और लगभग 420,000 घर नष्ट हो गए। जलवायु परिवर्तन पर संयुक्त राष्ट्र के अंतर सरकारी पैनल ने भी 2022 की एक रिपोर्ट जारी की जिसमें भारत के लिए एक निराशाजनक तस्वीर पेश की गई है। इसने चेतावनी दी कि देश को अगले दो दशकों में कई जलवायु परिवर्तन-प्रेरित आपदाओं का सामना करना पड़ सकता है। इसमें कहा गया है कि जब तक 2030 तक ग्रीनहाउस गैस उत्सर्जन में भारी कमी नहीं की जाती, भारतीय अधिकारियों के लिए आसन्न जलवायु आपदा को उलटना असंभव हो जाएगा। भीषण गर्मी के बाद भारी बारिश हो रही है पुणे में भारतीय उष्णकटिबंधीय मौसम विज्ञान संस्थान के जलवायु वैज्ञानिक रॉक्सी मैथ्यू कोल ने डीडब्ल्यू को बताया, "जलवायु परिवर्तन तेजी से बढ़ रहा है, जिससे एक के बाद एक चरम मौसम की घटनाएं सामने आ रही हैं। यह जितना हमने पहले सोचा था, उससे कहीं अधिक तेज है।" कोल ने कहा, "दक्षिण एशिया जलवायु परिवर्तन का पोस्टर चाइल्ड बन गया है।" "सिर्फ भारत ही नहीं, पूरे क्षेत्र में गर्मी की लहरें, बाढ़, भूस्खलन, सूखा और चक्रवात बढ़ने का स्पष्ट रुझान देखा जा रहा है। यह पहले से ही क्षेत्र की भोजन, पानी और ऊर्जा सुरक्षा को प्रभावित कर रहा है।" भारी बारिश गर्मी की लहर के बाद हुई जिसके कारण भारत के बड़े हिस्से में तापमान 45 डिग्री सेल्सियस (113 एफ) तक बढ़ गया। भले ही भारत में मुख्य गर्मी के महीने - अप्रैल से जून तक - हमेशा गर्म होते हैं, पिछले दशक में तापमान अधिक तीव्र हो गया है। और लगभग 80% आबादी गर्मी की लहरों या भीषण बाढ़ जैसी आपदाओं के प्रति अत्यधिक संवेदनशील क्षेत्रों में रहती है। क्या किया जाने की जरूरत है? भारत के जलवायु परिवर्तन प्रयासों के हिस्से के रूप में, प्रधान मंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी के प्रशासन ने 2070 तक देश के ग्रीनहाउस गैस उत्सर्जन को शून्य पर लाने की कसम खाई है। लेकिन, बढ़ती चरम मौसमी घटनाओं की पृष्ठभूमि में, विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि सरकार को अनुकूलन उपायों पर भी ध्यान देने की जरूरत है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट की निदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने डीडब्ल्यू को बताया, "आर्थिक नुकसान और खाद्य असुरक्षा को रोकने के लिए जलवायु अनुकूलन के लिए और अधिक प्रयास किए जाने की जरूरत है।" नारायण ने कहा, "हमें भूमि और जल-प्रबंधन रणनीतियों को फिर से सीखने की जरूरत है।" "भारत को सीखने के लिए बहुत कुछ है, बाढ़-संवेदनशील क्षेत्रों में बस्तियों का निर्माण न करने से लेकर तटबंधों के भीतर नदियों को नियंत्रित करने के बजाय नदी के पानी को प्रवाहित करने तक, जो हमेशा टूटती हैं या काम नहीं करती हैं।" "वां

पेरिस वित्त शिखर सम्मेलन क्रांतिकारी समाधानों को आगे बढ़ाने में विफल रहा

“आज, सबसे कमज़ोर देश, जिन्हें जलवायु शमन के लिए भी धन की आवश्यकता है, उन पर क़र्ज़ का बोझ बहुत अधिक है। हम अब छोटे बदलावों या गरीबों में कम बदलाव के बारे में बात नहीं कर सकते। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण, पेरिस में हाल ही में संपन्न न्यू ग्लोबल फाइनेंसिंग पैक्ट के शिखर सम्मेलन पर टिप्पणी करते हुए कहती हैं, ''हमें जवाब चाहिए और हमें जल्द ही इसकी जरूरत है।'' नारायण ने कहा, "शिखर सम्मेलन से कोई परिवर्तनकारी समाधान नहीं निकला, लेकिन इसने जलवायु और विकास वित्तपोषण संकट पर बातचीत शुरू की और इस गति को खोया नहीं जा सकता।" अपनी तरह के पहले पेरिस शिखर सम्मेलन का नेतृत्व फ्रांस के राष्ट्रपति इमैनुएल मैक्रॉन ने किया, और इसमें विकासशील दुनिया और यूरोप के कई नेताओं ने भाग लिया। इसका उद्देश्य गरीब और कमजोर देशों में धन की कमी को संबोधित करना है क्योंकि वे "परस्पर जुड़े संकटों के कॉकटेल" से जूझ रहे हैं - जैसा कि इथियोपिया के प्रधान मंत्री अबी अहमद ने कहा: रूस-यूक्रेन संघर्ष के कारण गरीबी, ऋण और मुद्रास्फीति उत्पन्न हुई। और जलवायु पर प्रभाव बढ़ रहा है। सीएसई की प्रोग्राम मैनेजर, जलवायु परिवर्तन, अवंतिका गोस्वामी, जिन्होंने व्यक्तिगत रूप से शिखर सम्मेलन की कार्यवाही में भाग लिया था, कहती हैं: “ग्लोबल साउथ के देश ऋण संकट में हैं और पर्याप्त जलवायु वित्त प्रवाह के बिना, अपनी अर्थव्यवस्थाओं को डीकार्बोनाइज करने के दबाव का सामना कर रहे हैं। शिखर सम्मेलन से कभी यह उम्मीद नहीं की गई थी कि इन समस्याओं का समाधान एक-डेढ़ दिन में हो जाएगा, लेकिन इसने एक महत्वपूर्ण बातचीत शुरू कर दी है। इसने इन संकटों के पैमाने, ग्लोबल साउथ के देशों की स्पष्ट माँगों और कार्रवाई के उन रास्तों पर प्रकाश डाला, जिनकी वकालत ग्लोबल नॉर्थ चुन रहा है।'' अवंतिका ने शिखर सम्मेलन में भाग लेने वाले विश्व नेताओं को उद्धृत करते हुए समस्या के पैमाने को रेखांकित किया। इथियोपिया के अबी अहमद ने कहा: “अफ्रीकी देश अभूतपूर्व धन संकट का सामना कर रहे हैं। सार्वजनिक और निजी ऋण नई ऊंचाइयों पर पहुंच गया है। लगभग सभी वस्तुओं में मुद्रास्फीति तेजी से बढ़ी है, और आज कई अफ्रीकियों के लिए दैनिक भोजन सबसे बड़ा मुद्दा है। बारबाडोस की प्रधान मंत्री मिया मोटली ने एक रैली का आह्वान किया: “विकासशील दुनिया कर्ज से डूब रही है। प्रथम विश्व युद्ध का कर्ज़ चुकाने में ब्रिटेन को सौ साल लग गए; द्वितीय विश्व युद्ध के बाद पुनर्निर्माण के लिए जर्मनी को अपनी ऋण सेवा को सकल घरेलू उत्पाद के 3 से 5 प्रतिशत तक सीमित करने में सक्षम होने के सभी लाभ थे। हम भी लोग हैं, हम भी देश हैं और हम भी इसी तरह के व्यवहार के पात्र हैं।” ग्लोबल साउथ क्या चाह रहा है? बहुपक्षीय विकास बैंक (एमडीबी) वित्तीय प्रणाली सुधार पर चर्चा के केंद्र में रहे हैं। भारतीय वित्त मंत्री निर्मला सीतारमण के अनुसार, एमडीबी को "गैर-उधार लेने वाले शेयरधारकों द्वारा अपने मूल विकास जनादेश के साथ-साथ सीमा पार चुनौतियों का भी समाधान करने के लिए कहा जा रहा है"। गोस्वामी कहते हैं, ''इससे एमडीबी के संसाधनों पर दबाव बढ़ेगा। विकसित देश मौजूदा एमडीबी संसाधनों से अधिक लाभ उठाना चाहते हैं, साथ ही बैंकों के अधिदेश के एक भाग के रूप में जलवायु को भी जोड़ना चाहते हैं। विकसित देश अपने बजट से अधिक पैसा देने के प्रति प्रतिरोधी हैं और यदि उनका भुगतान हिस्सा बढ़ता है तो भारत और चीन जैसी बड़ी अर्थव्यवस्थाओं से अधिक प्रभाव का जोखिम भी उठाते हैं। ग्लोबल साउथ के देश अधिक रियायती और अनुदान वित्तपोषण और विकासशील देशों में ऋण के स्तर में कमी की मांग कर रहे हैं, जिसमें अल्प विकसित देशों के लिए ऋण रद्दीकरण भी शामिल है। जस्ट एनर्जी ट्रांजिशन पार्टनरशिप्स (जेईटीपी) जैसे सौदों में प्रत्येक देश की परिस्थितियों, श्रमिकों और समुदायों की जरूरतों और गरीबी और बेरोजगारी को दूर करने के लिए विकास लक्ष्यों पर विचार करना चाहिए, जैसा कि दक्षिण अफ्रीका के राष्ट्रपति सिरिल रामफोसा ने बताया है। उन्हें यह स्वीकार करने में लचीला होना चाहिए कि देश की बुनियादी ऊर्जा जरूरतों को पूरा करने के लिए कुछ जीवाश्म ईंधन उत्पादन को अस्तित्व में रखने की आवश्यकता हो सकती है। और उन्हें पर्याप्त वित्तपोषण की पेशकश करनी होगी। उदाहरण के लिए, दक्षिण अफ्रीका के मामले में, 8.5 बिलियन अमेरिकी डॉलर के वित्तपोषण की पेशकश की गई है जो देश की अनुमानित 98 बिलियन अमेरिकी डॉलर की आवश्यकता से काफी कम है। केन्या ने वैश्विक वित्तपोषण तंत्र का आह्वान किया है जो राष्ट्रीय या शेयरधारक हितों का बंधक नहीं है, जबकि ब्राजील ने पूछा है कि उसे अपनी मुद्रा में नहीं बल्कि डॉलर में व्यापार क्यों करना चाहिए। शिखर सम्मेलन ने क्या घोषणा की एमडीबी: एक विवादास्पद एमडीबी विज़न स्टेटमेंट दस्तावेज़ को शिखर सम्मेलन में पूर्ण सहमति नहीं मिली। अलग से, यह घोषणा की गई कि उभरती अर्थव्यवस्थाओं के लिए 200 बिलियन अमेरिकी डॉलर की अतिरिक्त ऋण क्षमता खोली जाएगी। विश्व बैंक ने ऋण सौदों के लिए आपदा धाराओं की घोषणा की जो चरम मौसम की घटनाओं के मामले में ऋण भुगतान को निलंबित कर देगी। बैंक ने "नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा और ऊर्जा बुनियादी ढांचे पर विशेष ध्यान देने के साथ उभरते बाजारों और विकासशील देशों में निजी क्षेत्र को बड़े पैमाने पर निवेश करने से रोकने वाली बाधाओं को दूर करने वाले समाधान विकसित करने और तेजी से पैमाने पर समाधान करने के लिए एक निजी क्षेत्र निवेश लैब का भी अनावरण किया"। . विशेष आहरण अधिकार (एसडीआर): आईएमएफ ने घोषणा की कि कमजोर देशों के लिए एसडीआर में 100 बिलियन अमेरिकी डॉलर की पूर्ति कर दी गई है। अमीर देशों से एसडीआर का 'पुनर्चक्रण', जिनके केंद्रीय बैंकों को सहायता की आवश्यकता नहीं है, उन गरीब देशों को, जिन्हें इसकी आवश्यकता है

Extreme weather: Deaths have reduced but property loss increasing, says IMD chief

India has significantly reduced the number of deaths due to extreme weather events over the years but the loss of property is increasing amid socio-economic progress, the head of India Meteorological Department Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said on Thursday. Comparing the 2013 Kedarnath floods and the Himachal Pradesh floods this year, he said there has been an overwhelming improvement in early warning systems, prediction and preparedness, prevention and mitigation by disaster management agencies and the general public. "We have been able to minimise the number of deaths over the years, but the loss of property is increasing because socio-economic progress is increasing in the country," he said in a video message for the launch of a report by policy research think tank The Centre for Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). With 2,500 people dying due to lightning strikes in India every year, Mohapatra said lighting has become a challenge while "we have almost fought and conquered disasters like tropical cyclones". "Lightning is a very small-scale event and takes less time to occur. Its prediction is also difficult," he said. However, over the years, the India Meteorological Department, the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology have together developed a modelling system for prediction of lightning. India is among only five countries in the world that have an early warning system for lightning. With the rise in urban population, he said, urban flooding has become another challenge for the country. According to the CEEW report, an estimated 72 per cent of districts in India are exposed to extreme flood events but only 25 per cent of them have level flood forecasting stations or early warning systems. Despite high exposure to floods, Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim are the best-performing states in terms of flood early warning systems. The report showed that Himachal Pradesh, currently battling massive floods, is among the states with the lowest availability of early warning systems. Uttarakhand, on the other hand, is moderately exposed to extreme flood events but has a high availability of flood early warning system, it said. Delhi, in the throes of severe flooding due to a raging Yamuna, is moderately exposed to extreme floods and has a moderate level of resilience through an early warning system (EWS). Approximately 66 per cent of individuals in India are exposed to extreme flood events. However, only 33 per cent of them are covered by flood EWS. Moreover, 25 per cent of the Indian population is exposed to cyclones and their impacts, but cyclone warnings are available to 100 per cent of the exposed population, the report said. According to independent think tank Centre for Science and Environment, India experienced extreme weather events on 314 of the 365 days in 2022. The events claimed 3,026 lives and damaged 1.96 million hectares of crop area. Extreme weather, climate and water-related events caused 573 disasters in India between 1970 and 2021 that claimed 1,38,377 lives, according to data from the World Meteorological Department, a specialised agency of the United Nations.

Extreme weather: Deaths have reduced but property loss increasing, says IMD chief

: India has significantly reduced the number of deaths due to extreme weather events over the years but the loss of property is increasing amid socio-economic progress, the head of India Meteorological Department Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said Thursday. Comparing the 2013 Kedarnath floods and the Himachal Pradesh floods this year, he said there has been an overwhelming improvement in early warning systems, prediction and preparedness, prevention and mitigation by disaster management agencies and the general public. “We have been able to minimise the number of deaths over the years, but the loss of property is increasing because socio-economic progress is increasing in the country,” he said in a video message for the launch of a report by policy research think tank The Centre for Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). With 2,500 people dying due to lightning strikes in India every year, Mohapatra said lighting has become a challenge while “we have almost fought and conquered disasters like tropical cyclones”. “Lightning is a very small-scale event and takes less time to occur. Its prediction is also difficult,” he said. However, over the years, the India Meteorological Department, the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology have together developed a modelling system for prediction of lightning. India is among only five countries in the world that have an early warning system for lightning. With the rise in urban population, he said, urban flooding has become another challenge for the country. According to the CEEW report, an estimated 72 per cent of districts in India are exposed to extreme flood events but only 25 per cent of them have level flood forecasting stations or early warning systems. Despite high exposure to floods, Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim are the bestperforming states in terms of flood early warning systems. The report showed that Himachal Pradesh, currently battling massive floods, is among the states with the lowest availability of early warning systems. Uttarakhand, on the other hand, is moderately exposed to extreme flood events but has a high availability of flood early warning system, it said. 7/13/23, 5:36 PM Extreme weather: Deaths have reduced but property loss increasing, says IMD chief - OrissaPOST https://www.orissapost.com/extreme-weather-deaths-have-reduced-but-property-loss-increasing-says-imd-chief/ 3/9 Delhi, in the throes of severe flooding due to a raging Yamuna, is moderately exposed to extreme floods and has a moderate level of resilience through an early warning system (EWS). Approximately 66 per cent of individuals in India are exposed to extreme flood events. However, only 33 per cent of them are covered by flood EWS. Moreover, 25 per cent of the Indian population is exposed to cyclones and their impacts, but cyclone warnings are available to 100 per cent of the exposed population, the report said. According to independent think tank Centre for Science and Environment, India experienced extreme weather events on 314 of the 365 days in 2022. The events claimed 3,026 lives and damaged 1.96 million hectares of crop area. Extreme weather, climate and water-related events caused 573 disasters in India between 1970 and 2021 that claimed 1,38,377 lives, according to data from the World Meteorological Department, a specialised agency of the United Nations.

Extreme weather: Deaths have reduced but property loss increasing, says IMD chief

India has significantly reduced the number of deaths due to extreme weather events over the years but the loss of property is increasing amid socio-economic progress, the head of India Meteorological Department Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said on Thursday. Comparing the 2013 Kedarnath floods and the Himachal Pradesh floods this year, he said there has been an overwhelming improvement in early warning systems, prediction and preparedness, prevention and mitigation by disaster management agencies and the general public. ''We have been able to minimise the number of deaths over the years, but the loss of property is increasing because socio-economic progress is increasing in the country,'' he said in a video message for the launch of a report by policy research think tank The Centre for Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). With 2,500 people dying due to lightning strikes in India every year, Mohapatra said lighting has become a challenge while ''we have almost fought and conquered disasters like tropical cyclones''. ''Lightning is a very small-scale event and takes less time to occur. Its prediction is also difficult,'' he said. However, over the years, the India Meteorological Department, the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology have together developed a modelling system for prediction of lightning. India is among only five countries in the world that have an early warning system for lightning. With the rise in urban population, he said, urban flooding has become another challenge for the country. According to the CEEW report, an estimated 72 per cent of districts in India are exposed to extreme flood events but only 25 per cent of them have level flood forecasting stations or early warning systems. Despite high exposure to floods, Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim are the best-performing states in terms of flood early warning systems. The report showed that Himachal Pradesh, currently battling massive floods, is among the states with the lowest availability of early warning systems. Uttarakhand, on the other hand, is moderately exposed to extreme flood events but has a high availability of flood early warning system, it said. Delhi, in the throes of severe flooding due to a raging Yamuna, is moderately exposed to extreme floods and has a moderate level of resilience through an early warning system (EWS). Approximately 66 per cent of individuals in India are exposed to extreme flood events. However, only 33 per cent of them are covered by flood EWS. Moreover, 25 per cent of the Indian population is exposed to cyclones and their impacts, but cyclone warnings are available to 100 per cent of the exposed population, the report said. According to independent think tank Centre for Science and Environment, India experienced extreme weather events on 314 of the 365 days in 2022. The events claimed 3,026 lives and damaged 1.96 million hectares of crop area. Extreme weather, climate and water-related events caused 573 disasters in India between 1970 and 2021 that claimed 1,38,377 lives, according to data from the World Meteorological Department, a specialised agency of the United Nations.

Rejig agri practices to fight climate change

The impacts of climate change on agriculture are a global concern. India is also witnessing severe spells of climate change. According to a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth (DTE) report, in 2022, extreme weather events adversely impacted 1.96 million hectares (ha) of the crop area. The report goes on to mention that the country witnessed extreme weather events on 241 out of 273 days. As per the Climate Transparency Report 2022, during 2016-2021, severe weather developments such as cyclones, floods, flash floods, and landslides caused damage to crops in more than 36 million hectares and the destruction has led to a $3.75 billion loss for farmers in India. Higher temperatures adversely affect crop yields. Different crops have specific temperature requirements for optimal growth, and when temperatures exceed these thresholds, it can lead to reduced yields. Heat stress can also impact crop flowering, fruit set, and overall productivity. Climate change causes shifts in rainfall patterns, leading to more frequent and intense droughts or floods. Both scenarios can have detrimental effects on agriculture. Hence, climate resilience has emerged as the key in climate risk management which involves building and strengthening the capability of agricultural ecosystems in anticipating, adapting, and recovering from climate change impacts and extreme weather events such as heat stress, floods, dominance of pests, severe storms, etc. In other words, building climate resilience involves anticipating potential climate change impacts and preparing for them in advance. This includes conducting vulnerability assessments, monitoring climate data, and using climate forecasting tools to understand future climate scenarios. However, there are two ways to look at the roadmap to build climate resilience in the agriculture sector. The first one is on-ground interventions. By being proactive, farmers and stakeholders in the agricultural sector can take appropriate measures to reduce risks, such as adjusting planting schedules, diversifying crops, or implementing water supply and management strategies. Farmers can alter agricultural practices to enhance soil fertility and opt for efficient water use, crop diversification, and crop insurance to build adaptability. Soil health in particular defines farmers' capability to produce crops. To restore soil quality impacted by climate change or adverse weather events, farmers can opt for intercropping and crop rotation and efficient application of fertilizers for preventing soil erosion and degradation. Development of climate-resilient crop varieties, promoting drought-resilient crop production such as millets, roll out of National Action Plan on Climate Change, State Action Plans on Climate Change, etc. are all moving in the right direction. It's worth noting that Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, recently said that addressing climate change needs global collaboration and collective action. And that brings us to the second aspect of climate resilience interventions through collaborations beyond borders. Sub-Saharan Africa is known to be the region that is susceptible to climate change. And, how countries like Mozambique, Ghana, etc. managed to build broad-based adaptability and resilience mechanisms and strengthen agricultural productivity would be a great learning experience for us. The common agricultural policy of the EU and the Build Back Better Plan of the US are some prominent examples of broader global collaborations. Even minor changes in weather patterns can significantly impact farmers' livelihoods and the nation's overall economic health.

India: How climate change is causing an environmental crisis

Intense monsoon rains have lashed parts of northern India over the past few days, leaving a trail of death and destruction, as well as rendering many areas inaccessible. The state of Himachal Pradesh has been the hardest hit. Television footage showed landslides and flash floods, washing away vehicles, destroying buildings and ripping down bridges. According to the India Meteorological Department, torrential rains across the country in the first week of July have already produced about 2% more rainfall than normal. The agency has forecast more rain across large parts of northern India in the coming days. "The region, which is usually one of the driest, has received disproportionately high rains," an department official told DW. Climate change: Environmental catastrophe The summer, or southwest, monsoon brings India about 70% of its annual rainfall. It is crucial for the nation's agriculture, which accounts for just 11% of India's total economic output, but employs over 40% of its labor force. The rains also often cause widespread devastation and death from flooding and landslides. Scientists say the rainfall is hard to forecast and varies considerably, but climate change is making the monsoon stronger and more erratic, increasing the frequency and ferocity of the floods. "Human-induced climate change is already intensifying hydrological extremes in India, and the recent floods in parts of northern India are yet another example of how extreme events can be more disastrous in hilly regions than in plains," Akshay Deoras, a research scientist at the United Kingdom's National Centre for Atmospheric Science and the University of Reading's Department of Meteorology, told DW. Deoras said extreme weather events were set to intensify as the planet continues to become warmer because of growing emissions of greenhouse gases. "This does not necessarily mean that high-impact events would occur every year," he said, "but, whenever they occur, there would be a greater chance of them being more impactful than previous such events." 2022 extreme weather events In 2022, the Center for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based public interest research and advocacy organization, tracked extreme weather events in India. It found out that India on the whole experienced extreme weather events on 314 out of the 365 days, meaning that at least one extreme weather event was reported in some part of India on each of these days. The report concluded that these events caused more than 3,000 deaths in 2022, affected about 2 million hectares (4.8 million acres) of crop area, killed more than 69,000 animals used as livestock and destroyed roughly 420,000 houses. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change also released a 2022 report painting a bleak picture for India. It warned that the country could face multiple climate change-induced disasters in the next two decades. Unless greenhouse gas emissions are drastically reduced by 2030, it will become impossible for Indian authorities to reverse an imminent climate catastrophe, it said. Heavy rains follow sizzling heat wave "Climate change is accelerating at a fast pace, throwing off extreme weather events one after the other. This is faster than what we thought earlier," Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune, told DW. "South Asia has become the poster child of climate change," Koll said. "The entire region, not just India, is witnessing a clear trend in rising heat waves, floods, landslides, droughts and cyclones. This is already affecting the food, water and energy security of the region." The heavy rains come after a heat wave that caused temperatures to soar to as high as 45 degrees Celsius (113 F) in large parts of India. Even though the main summer months — from April to June — are always hot in India, temperatures have become more intense in the past decade. And about 80% of the population also lives in regions highly vulnerable to disasters such as heat waves or severe flooding. What needs to be done? As part of India's climate change efforts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration has vowed to cut the nation's greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2070. But, against the backdrop of increasing extreme weather events, experts say the government needs to also focus on adaptation measures. "More needs to be done for climate adaptation to prevent economic losses and food insecurity," Sunita Narain, the director of the Center for Science and Environment, told DW. "We need to relearn land- and water-management strategies," Narain said. "India has much to learn, from not building habitations in flood-vulnerable areas to channeling river water instead of taming rivers within embankments that invariably break or just do not work." "The moot question is: How fast can we learn in a climate-variable world?" Narain said. "The answers will determine our future. The window of opportunity to deal with the crisis is closing."

100mm of rainfall for 2 days in a row brings only pain, no gain as capital can't harvest it

The city logged over 100mm of rainfall for two consecutive days last weekend and its large swathes got submerged. However, the rainwater, a valuable resource to recharge groundwater, was wasted in the absence of proper harvesting systems, said experts. The water could not percolate down into the soil and fill wetlands, and hence, roads got flooded, they pointed out. A 2021 study stated that 1.4 million gallons of rainwater was harvested by the seven biodiversity parks during the monsoon from June to September. Experts claimed that the entire city had the potential of harvesting more water. Even a recent report submitted to National Green Tribunal said a joint committee of Delhi Jal Board and Delhi Pollution Control Committee inspected the water samples from rainwater harvesting systems of 235 societies in Dwarka and found contamination - ammoniacal nitrogen and total dissolved solids - in 180 of them. CR Babu, professor emeritus and head of Centre for Environment Management of Degraded Ecosystems, said, "Massive concretisation has reduced the porous area that is meant for infiltration of rainwater from the catchment area. Many of the stormwater drains, which are supposed to collect rainwater from catchment, are disrupted by construction of roads without culverts. Even stormwater drains that are supposed to recharge groundwater have been converted into sewers." Emphasising the need for proper urban planning, Babu said, "Wetlands store the rainwater coming from catchment and recharge the water gradually into groundwater systems. Low-lying areas, which are depression or wetlands, are filled up with solid waste and developed into housing complexes. Due to this, rainwater accumulates in the road and water has nowhere to go. It cannot enter soil, stormwater drains, wetlands and low-lying areas." According to the draft master plan 2041, Central Ground Water Board has assessed that potential annual rainwater runoff of 24.4 million cubic metres (MCM) or 5,372 million gallons (MG), out of the total 175 MCM - 38,546MG, is available for recharge in Delhi. The annual potential of rooftop rainwater harvesting is assessed to be about 14.69MCM (3,236MG). Sushmita Sengupta, senior programme manager of water programme at Centre for Science and Environment, said, "It's a double whammy. When there is rain, people curse it due to waterlogging. However, after the monsoon is over, people cry that the groundwater is depleting. We need immediate steps to ensure that monsoon rain is utilised in the best way to recharge groundwater." The best possible ways to harvest rainwater, she said, is to harvest rain from open and green areas and recharge them there through rainwater harvesting structures, or connecting rainwater harvesting systems to stormwater drains. Shashank Shekhar, professor of geology at Delhi University, said that for best utilisation of rainwater, the authorities need to ensure that rain harvesting systems are functional and stormwater drains are properly laned and maintained and connected to waterbodies and floodplains.

52% of State’s people live beyond air quality monitoring network, says CSE

Due to poor spatial planning by implementing agencies, 52 per cent population of Maharashtra lives outside the 50 km radius coverage of combined manual and real-time air quality monitoring network, claimed a study conducted recently by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi. The study exposes the sad state of air quality monitoring in the country which also mentioned the performance of Maharashtra. “Number of manual monitoring stations have doubled since 2010, while there is a 20-fold jump in the number of real time monitoring stations; yet, 47 per cent population of the country lives outside the air quality monitoring network and 62 per cent do not have access to daily alerts on local air quality index,” it says. About Maharashtra, the study says, “Despite 7 per cent population of Maharashtra lives within 2 km radius of combined ambient air quality networks (National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) and Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station(CAAQMS), which is second in the country, just 52 per cent lives outside the 50 km radius coverage of combined network.” According to notified criteria for monitoring pollutants, 104 days of monitoring of PM2.5 is required out of 365 days for any state or city. However, the manual PM2.5 monitors in Maharashtra do not meet the minimum requirement of 104 days of monitoring in a year, the study reveals. The group of pollutants covered for NAAQS includes particulate matter less than 10 and 2.5 micron size (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), ammonia (NH3) and lead (Pb). These also qualify for Air Quality Index (AQI) calculations. According to the study, PM10, NO2 and SO2 are most widely monitored, the monitoring of PM2.5 is comparatively not as extensive and that of ozone is very limited. Monitoring of ammonia and lead and air toxins like benzene etc. is very sparse. Manual stations are mandated to monitor SO2, NO2, PM10 and PM2.5. Real-time stations usually monitor six pollutants -- SO2, NO2, PM10, PM2.5, CO and ozone. Many stations do not monitor all the pollutants. The Nagpur city, which comes under the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) non-attainment list, have six manual monitoring stations that calculate all four pollutants. However, the only functional real-time station in Nagpur calculate SO2, NO2, PM10, and PM2.5 only. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) installed four new CAAQMS stations last year at different locations of the city but it is yet to get functional on CPCB’s real-time air quality monitoring website which was prepared to access air quality data to the public. “There are some software issue is going on with the newly installed CAAQMS due to which it is not visible in the website. We are working on to resolve the issue. However, our electronic boards installed in some parts of the city is showing the air quality data of the newly installed CAAQMS,” Umakant Bahadule, Sub Regional Officer, MPCB, told The Hitavada. He further said, “The new CAAQMS are monitoring the CO2 and NO2 data also which we display on the electronic boards in the city.” The CSE study also claimed that over 100 manual monitoring stations have been added since 2020, but their data is not in the public domain.

Has weather department faltered in predicting extreme weather events? Experts speak

With heavy rainfall causing loss of lives and destruction of property in several North Indian states, India Today investigated the models used in weather forecast and the reason behind such extreme weather events. Sudden extreme weather events have become a new normal in the country, especially in the last few weeks with heavy rainfall battering several states. The number of people who die in landslides and other rain-related incidents keep increasing every day. As gloomy weather prevails over several parts of the country, a question being raised by many is whether the India Meterological Department (IMD) has failed in providing a timely warning for such weather events. To answer this, India Today investigated the models used in weather forecasts and the reason behind such extreme weather events. The IMD has claimed that it has done relatively well in predicting the recent extremely heavy rainfall. However, many experts say there is still room for improvement, especially in cases where heavy rain causes large-scale damage to property and loss of lives. WHAT IS CAUSING THESE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS? Several experts attribute the reason behind the localized meteorological change of events to global warming. Former Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Madhavan Rajeevan Nair said, "Due to an increase in the overall surface temperature of the earth, there has been an increase in the water vapour holding capacity of the atmosphere. This means the atmosphere can hold more water vapour and ultimately more cloud condensation takes place. In simple language, we are having deeper clouds with more water droplets which cause heavier rainfall." A study by the Center for Science and Environment (CSE) said that India faced extreme weather on 314 days out of 365 days in 2022. This means that at least one severe weather event was reported on these days in some part of the country. The IMD also accepted that the number of such incidents has increased. A senior scientist with IMD, Soma Sen Roy, said, "A single episode doesn't indicate a particular change. But the trends we observed of late do indicate that there is an increase in extreme weather conditions and global warming is one of the factors behind it. The episode of 15 cm and above rainfall incidents are increasing and it is due to global warming." DO WE LACK MODELS TO ACCURATELY PREDICT WEATHER EVENTS? The answer is yes. The models which are currently deployed by the Government of India do falter in recording these events accurately. Soma Sen Roy told India Today, "Cloud bursts happen at such a mesoscale that it happens just for a range of 1-2 kilometers area. We do not have a mechanism for such a high-resolution forecast, which could be very devastating. But, in the recent episode where two systems were interacting, we issued alerts well in advance. So, in such a situation, communication plays an important role."

Wie der Klimawandel eine Umweltkrise verursacht – DW

Heftige Monsunregen haben in den letzten Tagen Teile Nordindiens heimgesucht, eine Spur von Tod und Zerstörung hinterlassen und viele Gebiete unzugänglich gemacht. Der Bundesstaat Himachal Pradesh ist am stärksten betroffen. Auf Fernsehaufnahmen waren Erdrutsche und Sturzfluten zu sehen, die Fahrzeuge wegschwemmten, Gebäude zerstörten und Brücken einrissen. Nach Angaben des India Meteorological Department haben sintflutartige Regenfälle im ganzen Land in der ersten Juliwoche bereits etwa 2 % mehr Niederschlag als normal verursacht. Die Agentur hat für die kommenden Tage weitere Regenfälle in weiten Teilen Nordindiens vorhergesagt. „Die Region, die normalerweise zu den trockensten gehört, hat unverhältnismäßig hohe Regenfälle erlitten“, sagte ein Beamter des Ministeriums gegenüber der DW. Klimawandel: Umweltkatastrophe Der Sommer- oder Südwestmonsun bringt Indien etwa 70 % seines jährlichen Niederschlags. Es ist von entscheidender Bedeutung für die Landwirtschaft des Landes, die nur 11 % der gesamten Wirtschaftsleistung Indiens ausmacht, aber über 40 % der Arbeitskräfte beschäftigt. Sintflutartiger Regen fegt über Nordindien Um dieses Video anzusehen, aktivieren Sie bitte JavaScript und erwägen Sie ein Upgrade auf einen Webbrowser, der HTML5-Videos unterstützt Die Regenfälle verursachen häufig auch weitreichende Verwüstungen und Todesfälle durch Überschwemmungen und Erdrutsche. Wissenschaftler sagen, dass die Niederschlagsmenge schwer vorherzusagen sei und erheblich schwanke, aber der Klimawandel mache den Monsun stärker und unregelmäßiger, was die Häufigkeit und Heftigkeit der Überschwemmungen erhöhe. „Der vom Menschen verursachte Klimawandel verstärkt bereits die hydrologischen Extreme in Indien, und die jüngsten Überschwemmungen in Teilen Nordindiens sind ein weiteres Beispiel dafür, wie extreme Ereignisse in hügeligen Regionen katastrophaler sein können als in Ebenen“, sagt Akshay Deoras, Forscher bei Das erklärten das National Centre for Atmospheric Science des Vereinigten Königreichs und die Abteilung für Meteorologie der University of Reading gegenüber der DW. Deoras sagte, extreme Wetterereignisse würden sich verstärken, da der Planet aufgrund der zunehmenden Treibhausgasemissionen weiter wärmer werde. „Das bedeutet nicht zwangsläufig, dass es jedes Jahr zu schwerwiegenden Ereignissen kommen würde“, sagte er, „aber wann immer sie auftreten, besteht eine größere Wahrscheinlichkeit, dass sie schwerwiegendere Auswirkungen haben als frühere derartige Ereignisse.“ Extremwetterereignisse 2022 Im Jahr 2022 verfolgte das Centre for Science and Environment, eine in Neu-Delhi ansässige öffentliche Forschungs- und Interessenvertretungsorganisation, extreme Wetterereignisse in Indien. Es stellte sich heraus, dass es in Indien insgesamt an 314 der 365 Tage zu extremen Wetterereignissen kam, was bedeutet, dass an jedem dieser Tage in einem Teil Indiens mindestens ein extremes Wetterereignis gemeldet wurde. Der Bericht kam zu dem Schluss, dass diese Ereignisse im Jahr 2022 mehr als 3.000 Todesfälle verursachten, etwa 2 Millionen Hektar (4,8 Millionen Acres) Anbaufläche beeinträchtigten, mehr als 69.000 als Nutztiere genutzte Tiere töteten und etwa 420.000 Häuser zerstörten. Auch der Zwischenstaatliche Ausschuss für Klimaänderungen der Vereinten Nationen veröffentlichte einen Bericht aus dem Jahr 2022, der ein düsteres Bild für Indien zeichnet. Es warnte davor, dass das Land in den nächsten zwei Jahrzehnten mit mehreren durch den Klimawandel verursachten Katastrophen konfrontiert sein könnte. Wenn die Treibhausgasemissionen bis 2030 nicht drastisch reduziert würden, sei es für die indischen Behörden unmöglich, eine drohende Klimakatastrophe abzuwenden, hieß es.

How climate change is causing an environmental crisis in India

Intense monsoon rains have lashed parts of northern India over past few days, leaving trail of death and destruction Torrential rains have caused flash floods and landslides in parts of India, causing death and destruction. The heavy rain comes after an unbearable heat wave. Intense monsoon rains have lashed parts of northern India over the past few days, leaving a trail of death and destruction, as well as rendering many areas inaccessible. The state of Himachal Pradesh has been the hardest hit. Television footage showed landslides and flash floods, washing away vehicles, destroying buildings and ripping down bridges. According to the India Meteorological Department, torrential rains across the country in the first week of July have already produced about 2% more rainfall than normal. The agency has forecast more rain across large parts of northern India in the coming days. "The region, which is usually one of the driest, has received disproportionately high rains," a department official told DW. Climate change: Environmental catastrophe The summer, or southwest, monsoon brings India about 70% of its annual rainfall. It is crucial for the nation's agriculture, which accounts for just 11% of India's total economic output, but employs over 40% of its labor force. The rains also often cause widespread devastation and death from flooding and landslides. Scientists say the rainfall is hard to forecast and varies considerably, but climate change is making the monsoon stronger and more erratic, increasing the frequency and ferocity of the floods. "Human-induced climate change is already intensifying hydrological extremes in India, and the recent floods in parts of northern India are yet another example of how extreme events can be more disastrous in hilly regions than in plains," Akshay Deoras, a research scientist at the United Kingdom's National Centre for Atmospheric Science and the University of Reading's Department of Meteorology, told DW. Deoras said extreme weather events were set to intensify as the planet continues to become warmer because of growing emissions of greenhouse gases. "This does not necessarily mean that high-impact events would occur every year," he said, "but, whenever they occur, there would be a greater chance of them being more impactful than previous such events." 2022 extreme weather events In 2022, the Center for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based public interest research and advocacy organization, tracked extreme weather events in India. It found out that India on the whole experienced extreme weather events on 314 out of the 365 days, meaning that at least one extreme weather event was reported in some part of India on each of these days. The report concluded that these events caused more than 3,000 deaths in 2022, affected about 2 million hectares (4.8 million acres) of crop area, killed more than 69,000 animals used as livestock and destroyed roughly 420,000 houses. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change also released a 2022 report painting a bleak picture for India. It warned that the country could face multiple climate change-induced disasters in the next two decades. Unless greenhouse gas emissions are drastically reduced by 2030, it will become impossible for Indian authorities to reverse an imminent climate catastrophe, it said. Heavy rains follow sizzling heat wave "Climate change is accelerating at a fast pace, throwing off extreme weather events one after the other. This is faster than what we thought earlier," Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune, told DW. "South Asia has become the poster child of climate change," Koll said. "The entire region, not just India, is witnessing a clear trend in rising heat waves, floods, landslides, droughts and cyclones. This is already affecting the food, water and energy security of the region." The heavy rains come after a heat wave that caused temperatures to soar to as high as 45 degrees Celsius (113 F) in large parts of India. Even though the main summer months — from April to June — are always hot in India, temperatures have become more intense in the past decade. And about 80% of the population also lives in regions highly vulnerable to disasters such as heat waves or severe flooding. What needs to be done? As part of India's climate change efforts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration has vowed to cut the nation's greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2070. But, against the backdrop of increasing extreme weather events, experts say the government needs to also focus on adaptation measures. "More needs to be done for climate adaptation to prevent economic losses and food insecurity," Sunita Narain, the director of the Center for Science and Environment, told DW. "We need to relearn land- and water-management strategies," Narain said. "India has much to learn, from not building habitations in flood-vulnerable areas to channeling river water instead of taming rivers within embankments that invariably break or just do not work." "The moot question is: How fast can we learn in a climate-variable world?" Narain said. "The answers will determine our future. The window of opportunity to deal with the crisis is closing."

Climate change spurs deadly monsoon rains in India

As torrential rains cause flash floods and landslides in India, the country grapples with an environmental crisis Intense monsoon rains have lashed parts of northern India over the past few days, leaving a trail of death and destruction, as well as rendering many areas inaccessible. The state of Himachal Pradesh has been the hardest hit. Television footage showed landslides and flash floods, washing away vehicles, destroying buildings and ripping down bridges. India's meteorological department (IMD) said that torrential rains across the South Asian country in the first week of July have already produced about 2% more rainfall than normal. The agency has forecast more rain across large parts of northern India in the coming days. "The region, which is usually one of the driest, has received disproportionately high rains," an IMD official told DW. Climate change and environmental catastrophes The summer, or southwest, monsoon brings India around 70% of its annual rainfall. It is crucial for the nation's agriculture, which accounts for just 11% of India's total economic output, but employs over 40% of its labor force. The rains also often cause widespread devastation and death due to flooding and landslides. Scientists say the rainfall is hard to forecast and varies considerably, but climate change is making the monsoon stronger and more erratic, increasing the frequency and ferocity of the floods. "Human-induced climate change is already intensifying hydrological extremes in India, and the recent floods in parts of northern India are yet another example of how extreme events can be more disastrous in hilly regions than in plains," Akshay Deoras, a research scientist at the UK's National Centre for Atmospheric Science and the Department of Meteorology, told DW. Deoras pointed out that extreme weather events are set to intensify as the planet continues to become warmer due to growing emissions of greenhouse gases. "This does not necessarily mean that high-impact events would occur every year, but whenever they occur, there would be a greater chance of them being more impactful than previous such events," he added. How many extreme weather events last year? Last year, the Center for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based public interest research and advocacy organization, tracked extreme weather events in India. It found out that the country, on the whole, experienced extreme weather events on 314 out of the 365 days, meaning that at least one extreme weather event was reported in some part of India on each of these days. The report concluded that these events caused over 3,000 deaths in 2022, affected some 2 million hectares of crop area, killed more than 69,000 livestock and destroyed around 420,000 houses. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also released a report last year painting a bleak picture for India. It warned that the country could face multiple climate change-induced disasters in the next two decades. Unless greenhouse gas emissions are drastically reduced by 2030, it will become impossible for Indian authorities to reverse an imminent climate catastrophe, it said. Heavy rains follow sizzling heat wave "Climate change is accelerating at a fast pace, throwing off extreme weather events one after the other. This is faster than what we thought earlier," said Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune. "South Asia has become the poster child of climate change. The entire region, not just India, is witnessing a clear trend in rising heatwaves, floods, landslides, droughts, and cyclones. This is already affecting the food, water, and energy security of the region," Koll told DW. The heavy rains come after a blistering heat wave that caused temperatures to soar to as high as 45°C in large parts of the country, taking a toll on people's lives. Even though the main summer months — from April to June — are always hot in India, temperatures have become more intense in the past decade. And around 80% of the population also live in regions highly vulnerable to extreme disasters like heat waves or severe flooding. What needs to be done? As part of India's efforts to tackle global climate change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration has vowed to cut the nation's greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2070. But against the backdrop of increasing extreme weather events, experts say the government needs to also focus on adaptation measures. "More needs to be done for climate adaptation to prevent economic losses and food insecurity," CSE director Sunita Narain said. "We need to relearn land and water management strategies. India has much to learn, from not building habitations in flood-vulnerable areas to channeling river water instead of taming rivers within embankments that invariably break or just do not work," she told DW. "The moot question is, how fast can we learn in a climate variable world? The answers will determine our future. The window of opportunity to deal with the crisis is closing."