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India's Air Quality Monitoring Network in Woeful State, Says Report

Contrary to government claims of having good air quality monitoring systems, the ground reality reveals that the condition of the country's air quality monitoring network is abysmal. This revelation comes from the latest nationwide analysis conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a non-profit organisation based in New Delhi. According to the CSE report, out of India's 4,041 census cities and towns, a mere 12% have air quality monitoring systems. Furthermore, only 200 of these cities monitor all six key criteria pollutants. This is a cause for concern as compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and clean air targets under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) necessitate a robust air quality monitoring system. The CSE analysis highlights that nearly 47% of the country's population is outside the maximum radius of the air quality monitoring grid (including manual and real-time monitoring combined), while 62% is outside the coverage of the real-time monitoring network. Limited air quality monitoring poses challenges in identifying the non-attainment status of a significant number of towns, cities, and regions, hindering the evaluation of clean air action and improvement in air quality. This issue is especially pertinent for assessing the performance of the clean air action under the 15th Finance Commission grant," stated Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at CSE. Avikal Somvanshi, Senior Programme Manager at CSE's Urban Lab, added that the current monitoring network also faces challenges in terms of inadequate data generation, incomplete data, and poor quality control of monitoring. These issues make it challenging to assess air quality trends and establish compliance with clean air targets. The current urban monitoring grid is heavily concentrated in a few major cities, leaving vast areas in other regions without monitoring. A more comprehensive approach is needed to cover a wider population and habitats to effectively implement clean air action plans, inform the public about daily risks, and design emergency response measures. Other findings of the report include full population coverage of 100% only in Chandigarh, Delhi, and Goa. The national monitoring grid presently meets only 6-8% of the recommended requirement, and less than 200 cities monitor all six key pollutants. Despite the poor air quality monitoring network, the number of manual monitoring stations has doubled since 2010, when there were 411 operating manual stations. Currently, there are 883 operating manual stations in 379 cities/towns across 28 states and seven Union territories, according to the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) website. Similarly, the number of real-time monitoring stations has increased 20-fold since 2010. There are 409 real-time Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) spread across 209 cities/towns in 27 states and four Union territories. In 2022, 77 stations were added, bringing the total to 423 stations in 221 cities as of February 22, 2023. However, the operational status of some stations is uncertain, as at least four stations have not reported any monitoring data in recent years, including Airoli in Navi Mumbai, Bandra in Mumbai, PWD Grounds in Vijayawada and Nishant Ganj in Lucknow. CSE's assessment analysed the adequacy of the air quality monitoring network, spatial spread, population coverage, and data completeness throughout the country. The study encompassed 883 manual stations and 409 real-time stations, using publicly available data from the websites and publications of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) as of December 31, 2022. According to the 2011 census, India has 4,041 statutory towns. The UN population database for 2020 indicates that 63 census towns have a population of over a million. These million-plus cities require 959 PM monitors, 643 SO2 monitors, 630 NO2 monitors, and 320 monitors for CO and surface ozone each, as per guidelines. Air quality monitoring plays a crucial role in assessing the increasing risks and impacts of clean air action on air quality. It also serves as a vital tool for informing the public, especially vulnerable communities, about daily pollution levels, enabling emergency and long-term action, and supporting health impact studies. The CSE analysis recommends the following steps to strengthen the monitoring systems: Ensure a more equitable distribution of reference-grade regulatory air quality monitoring stations to provide wider population coverage, including areas without a monitoring network. Expand the monitoring network to include pollutants that pose higher public health risks, such as PM2.5 and ozone. Implement a framework for a hybrid air quality monitoring system that combines a network of regulatory monitors with air sensors and satellite-based monitoring based on proper standardisation, certification, calibration requirements, and detailed protocols. Ensure coverage of all communities, particularly vulnerable ones, to provide comprehensive air quality information.

Air quality report: 12 per cent Indian cities have monitoring station, 47 per cent population outside monitoring grid

New Delhi: Only 12 per cent of India’s 4,041 census cities have air quality monitoring stations with just 200 of them monitoring all six key pollutants, severely limiting the ability to assess and The study showed 62 per cent of the population is outside the coverage radius of the real-time monitoring network. This lack of comprehensive monitoring is concerning as compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and the goals of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) rely on accurate and robust monitoring systems. The NCAP aims for a 20 to 30 per cent reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 2024 with on 2017 as the baseline year. Anumita Roychowdhury, the executive director of research and advocacy at CSE, emphasised the urgent need for more equitable distribution of monitoring stations and the adoption of hybrid monitoring methods. She suggested integrating a standardised and certified air sensor network along with satellitebased monitoring to ensure maximum and cost-effective coverage of the population. By expanding the monitoring network, policymakers can gather essential data to support evidencebased actions against air pollution. Roychowdhury said the current monitoring network faces challenges related to data quality and completeness. This hampers accurate assessment of air quality trends and compliance with clean air targets. The study revealed a concentration of monitoring stations in a few major cities, leaving vast regions without adequate monitoring. Avikal Somvanshi, a senior programme manager at CSE’s urban lab, stressed the need to rectify this disparity by establishing a more comprehensive monitoring network that covers a wider population and habitats. Such a network would facilitate the implementation of effective clean air action plans, provide vital information to the public about daily risks, and enable the design of emergency responses and long-term strategies, he said. It focused primarily on the adequacy and completeness of PM2.5 data, given its significant impact on human health. The study examined data from 883 manual monitoring stations and 409 realtime monitoring stations as of December 31, 2022. The CSE report said the number of manual monitoring stations has doubled since 2010, reaching 883 stations across 379 cities and towns in 28 states and seven Union territories. However, the availability of monitoring data is limited, with the discontinuation of station-wise data publication by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) after the NAMP 2020 report. The number of real-time monitoring stations has witnessed a twenty-fold increase since 2010 with 409 stations in 209 cities and towns across 27 states and four Union territories. However, the accuracy and reliability of real-time data collection are compromised due to the nonreporting of data from certain stations over the years. For example, several stations, including those in Airoli in Navi Mumbai, Bandra in Mumbai, PWD Grounds in Vijayawada and Nishant Ganj in Lucknow, have not reported any monitoring data in recent years. The analysis also revealed that only 476 out of 4,041 cities and towns in India have air quality monitoring stations. It found that 267 cities have manual stations, while 98 cities have only real-time stations and 111 have both types of stations. This indicates a significant gap in monitoring infrastructure, particularly in smaller towns and rural areas. Also, the current air quality monitoring network falls far short of the recommended guidelines. As per the standards, the minimum number of monitoring stations should correspond to the population size, pollutant levels, and type of city or town. However, the existing network only meets sic to eight per cent of the minimum recommended capacity. This inadequacy poses a significant challenge to accurately assess compliance with clean air targets and identify areas of nonattainment. Only 4 per cent of the population, or around 50 million people, live within the two-kilometre radius of monitoring stations while 15 per cent reside within a two to 10 kilometre radius and around 34 per cent live within a 10-50 kilometre radius. Among the states and Union Territories, only Chandigarh, Delhi and Goa have achieved full population coverage under the combined monitoring network. In Delhi, 26 per cent of the population resides within a two-kilometre radius of the city’s 40 realtime and 10 manual monitoring stations. Chandigarh has the second-best coverage, with 40 per cent of its population living within the twokilometre radius of its eight manual and real-time monitoring stations. However, no other state or Union Territory has achieved over 90 per cent population coverage within the 50-kilometre radius. The inadequate monitoring coverage has serious implications for public health and effective policymaking. Limited air quality monitoring makes it challenging to identify non-attainment areas and evaluate the impact of clean air actions. It also impedes the inclusion of more harmful pollutants such as PM2.5 and ozone under the National Clean Air Programme, the CSE said.

Only 12 Per Cent Of Indian Cities And Towns Have Air Quality Monitoring Stations: CSE Study

CSE’s assessment has analysed the adequacy of the air quality monitoring network and air quality data, spatial spread, population coverage and data completeness in the country. Of India’s 4,041 census cities and towns, a mere 12 per cent have air quality monitoring systems and only 200 of these cities monitor all six key criteria pollutants, says an analysis. This is when compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and clean air targets under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) requires robust air quality monitoring.

Only 12% Cities Measuring Air Quality, Monitoring Remains Sparse, Shows Study

Air quality monitoring across India remains sparse despite the ever-growing challenge of pollution. Out of 4,041 cities and towns, only 476 have monitoring systems – manual or real-time, shows a new study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). A majority of the cities (267) have manual stations; 98 cities have only real-time stations; and 111 cities have manual as well as real-time stations. But only Chandigarh, Delhi and Goa have full population coverage under the combined monitoring network. This leaves out at least 47 percent of the population, which lives outside the 50-km radius coverage of the air quality monitoring network. “The limited air quality monitoring has made it challenging to identify non-attainment status of a vast number of towns/cities and regions. It has also impeded effective evaluation of clean air action and improvement in air quality. More harmful PM2.5 and ozone are not even considered for compliance under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) due to limited monitoring and data,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of the CSE. According to the team, air quality reported by a station can represent ambient air in its 2-km radius but it can also be used for measuring ambient air 2 km to 10 km away from the station. And, if no major topographical or human-made features exist, then the air quality reported at a station can also be considered a good proxy for ambient air 10 km to 50 km away from the station. The analysis covers about 883 manual stations under the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) and 409 real-time stations under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS), as reported by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The number of manual monitoring stations have doubled since 2010, and the number of real-time monitoring stations have grown 20 times in that time period. But the current national monitoring grid is only 6 percent to 8 percent of the recommended requirement. In terms of districts, over half of a total of 755 districts have no air quality monitoring stations, whether manual or real-time. Researchers also highlighted that the current monitoring network is riddled with problems of inadequate data generation, lack of data completeness and poor quality control of monitoring. “The current urban monitoring grid is highly concentrated in a few big cities and there are vast areas in other regions with no monitoring at all. This needs to be rationalised to cover a wider population and habitats to support implementation of clean air action plans, provide information to the public about the daily risks and design emergency response and long-term action,” said Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager at CSE. Also, fewer than 200 cities that have systems in place monitor all the six key criteria pollutants – particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide and oxidants like surface ozone. “There is not only a need to expand the monitoring network to all communities, especially vulnerable sections, but also important to include all pollutants that pose a higher public health risk,” the team said.

12 प्रतिशत भारतीय शहरों में वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी स्टेशन, 47 प्रतिशत लोग निगरानी ग्रिड से बाहर

विश्लेषण करने वाले पर्यावरण थिंक टैंक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) ने कहा कि देश की लगभग 47 प्रतिशत आबादी वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी ग्रिड के अधिकतम दायरे से बाहर है। भारत के 4,041 जनगणना शहरों में से केवल 12 प्रतिशत में वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी स्टेशन हैं, जिनमें से केवल 200 सभी छह प्रमुख प्रदूषकों की निगरानी करते हैं, जिससे देश भर में प्रदूषण की सीमा का आकलन करने और ध्यान देने की क्षमता गंभीर रूप से सीमित हो जाती है। एक नए विश्लेषण में यह जानकारी सामने आई है। विश्लेषण करने वाले पर्यावरण थिंक टैंक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) ने कहा कि देश की लगभग 47 प्रतिशत आबादी वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी ग्रिड के अधिकतम दायरे से बाहर है।अध्ययन से पता चला कि 62 प्रतिशत आबादी वास्तविक समय निगरानी नेटवर्क के कवरेज दायरे से बाहर है। व्यापक निगरानी की यह कमी चिंताजनक है क्योंकि राष्ट्रीय परिवेशी वायु गुणवत्ता मानकों का अनुपालन और राष्ट्रीय स्वच्छ वायु कार्यक्रम (एनसीएपी) के लक्ष्य सटीक और मजबूत निगरानी प्रणालियों पर निर्भर हैं। एनसीएपी का लक्ष्य 2017 को आधार वर्ष मानकर 2024 तक पीएम-2.5 और पीएम-10 सांद्रता में 20 से 30 प्रतिशत की कमी लाना है। सीएसई में अनुसंधान और वकालत की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने निगरानी स्टेशनों के अधिक न्यायसंगत वितरण और हाइब्रिड निगरानी विधियों को अपनाने की तत्काल आवश्यकता पर जोर दिया। उन्होंने जनसंख्या की अधिकतम और लागत प्रभावी कवरेज सुनिश्चित करने के लिए उपग्रह-आधारित निगरानी के साथ एक मानकीकृत और प्रमाणित वायु सेंसर नेटवर्क को एकीकृत करने का सुझाव दिया। निगरानी नेटवर्क का विस्तार करके नीति निर्माता वायु प्रदूषण के खिलाफ साक्ष्य-आधारित कार्यों का समर्थन करने के लिए आवश्यक आंकड़े एकत्र कर सकते हैं। रॉयचौधरी ने कहा कि वर्तमान निगरानी नेटवर्क को डाटा गुणवत्ता और पूर्णता से संबंधित चुनौतियों का सामना करना पड़ता है। इससे वायु गुणवत्ता रुझानों के सटीक आकलन और स्वच्छ वायु लक्ष्यों के अनुपालन में बाधा आती है। अध्ययन से कुछ प्रमुख शहरों में निगरानी स्टेशनों की सघनता का पता चला, जिससे विशाल क्षेत्र पर्याप्त निगरानी के बिना रह गए। सीएसई की शहरी प्रयोगशाला के एक वरिष्ठ कार्यक्रम प्रबंधक अविकल सोमवंशी ने एक अधिक व्यापक निगरानी नेटवर्क स्थापित करके इस असमानता को सुधारने की आवश्यकता पर बल दिया, जो व्यापक आबादी और आवासों को कवर करता है। उन्होंने कहा कि ऐसा नेटवर्क प्रभावी स्वच्छ वायु कार्य योजनाओं के कार्यान्वयन की सुविधा प्रदान करेगा, जनता को दैनिक जोखिमों के बारे में महत्वपूर्ण जानकारी देगा और आपातकालीन प्रतिक्रियाओं और दीर्घकालिक रणनीतियों के डिजाइन को सक्षम करेगा। सीएसई विश्लेषण ने राष्ट्रीय वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी कार्यक्रम (एनएएमपी) के तहत मैन्युअल निगरानी और सतत परिवेश वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी प्रणाली (सीएएक्यूएमएस) के तहत वास्तविक समय की निगरानी दोनों पर विचार किया। मानव स्वास्थ्य पर इसके महत्वपूर्ण प्रभाव को देखते हुए इसने मुख्य रूप से पीएम-2.5 डाटा की पर्याप्तता और पूर्णता पर ध्यान केंद्रित किया। अध्ययन ने 31 दिसंबर, 2022 तक 883 मैनुअल मॉनिटरिंग स्टेशनों और 409 वास्तविक समय मॉनिटरिंग स्टेशनों के डाटा की जांच की। सीएसई की रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि 2010 के बाद से मैनुअल मॉनिटरिंग स्टेशनों की संख्या दोगुनी हो गई है। यह 28 राज्यों और सात केंद्र शासित प्रदेशों के 379 शहरों और कस्बों में 883 स्टेशनों तक पहुंच गई है।

12 pc Indian cities have air quality monitoring stations, 47 pc people outside monitoring grid: Report

Only 12 per cent of India’s 4,041 census cities have air quality monitoring stations with just 200 of them monitoring all six key pollutants, severely limiting the ability to assess and address the extent of pollution across the country, according to a new analysis. Environmental think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which conducted the analysis, said nearly 47 per cent of the country’s population remains outside the maximum radius of the air quality monitoring grid. The study showed 62 per cent of the population is outside the coverage radius of the real-time monitoring network. Powered By VDO.AI This lack of comprehensive monitoring is concerning as compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and the goals of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) rely on accurate and robust monitoring systems. The NCAP aims for a 20 to 30 per cent reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 2024 with on 2017 as the baseline year. Anumita Roychowdhury, the executive director of research and advocacy at CSE, emphasised the urgent need for more equitable distribution of monitoring stations and the adoption of hybrid monitoring methods. She suggested integrating a standardised and certified air sensor network along with satellite-based monitoring to ensure maximum and cost-effective coverage of the population. By expanding the monitoring network, policymakers can gather essential data to support evidence-based actions against air pollution. Roychowdhury said the current monitoring network faces challenges related to data quality and completeness. This hampers accurate assessment of air quality trends and compliance with clean air targets. The study revealed a concentration of monitoring stations in a few major cities, leaving vast regions without adequate monitoring. Avikal Somvanshi, a senior programme manager at CSE’s urban lab, stressed the need to rectify this disparity by establishing a more comprehensive monitoring network that covers a wider population and habitats. Such a network would facilitate the implementation of effective clean air action plans, provide vital information to the public about daily risks, and enable the design of emergency responses and long-term strategies, he said. The CSE analysis considered both manual monitoring under the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) and real-time monitoring under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS). It focused primarily on the adequacy and completeness of PM2.5 data, given its significant impact on human health. The study examined data from 883 manual monitoring stations and 409 real-time monitoring stations as of December 31, 2022. The CSE report said the number of manual monitoring stations has doubled since 2010, reaching 883 stations across 379 cities and towns in 28 states and seven Union territories. However, the availability of monitoring data is limited, with the discontinuation of station-wise data publication by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) after the NAMP 2020 report. The number of real-time monitoring stations has witnessed a twenty-fold increase since 2010 with 409 stations in 209 cities and towns across 27 states and four Union territories. However, the accuracy and reliability of real-time data collection are compromised due to the non-reporting of data from certain stations over the years. For example, several stations, including those in Airoli in Navi Mumbai, Bandra in Mumbai, PWD Grounds in Vijayawada and Nishant Ganj in Lucknow, have not reported any monitoring data in recent years. The analysis also revealed that only 476 out of 4,041 cities and towns in India have air quality monitoring stations. It found that 267 cities have manual stations, while 98 cities have only real-time stations and 111 have both types of stations. This indicates a significant gap in monitoring infrastructure, particularly in smaller towns and rural areas. Also, the current air quality monitoring network falls far short of the recommended guidelines. As per the standards, the minimum number of monitoring stations should correspond to the population size, pollutant levels, and type of city or town. However, the existing network only meets sic to eight per cent of the minimum recommended capacity. This inadequacy poses a significant challenge to accurately assess compliance with clean air targets and identify areas of non-attainment. The population coverage by the monitoring grid is also deeply insufficient. Around 47 per cent of the Indian population, or around 655 million people, live outside the 50-kilometre radius of the air quality monitoring stations, which means they lack the immediate benefits of real-time monitoring. Only 4 per cent of the population, or around 50 million people, live within the two-kilometre radius of monitoring stations while 15 per cent reside within a two to 10 kilometre radius and around 34 per cent live within a 10-50 kilometre radius. Among the states and Union Territories, only Chandigarh, Delhi and Goa have achieved full population coverage under the combined monitoring network. In Delhi, 26 per cent of the population resides within a two-kilometre radius of the city’s 40 real-time and 10 manual monitoring stations. Chandigarh has the second-best coverage, with 40 per cent of its population living within the two-kilometre radius of its eight manual and real-time monitoring stations. However, no other state or Union Territory has achieved over 90 per cent population coverage within the 50-kilometre radius. The inadequate monitoring coverage has serious implications for public health and effective policymaking. Limited air quality monitoring makes it challenging to identify non-attainment areas and evaluate the impact of clean air actions. It also impedes the inclusion of more harmful pollutants such as PM2.5 and ozone under the National Clean Air Programme, the CSE said. PTI GVS GVS NSD NSD

Only 12 per cent of India’s census cities and towns have air quality monitoring stations: CSE

New analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) exposes sad state of air quality monitoring in the country Highlights Number of manual monitoring stations have doubled since 2010; 20-fold jump in number of real time monitoring stations — yet 47 per cent population lives outside the air quality monitoring network; 62 per cent do not have access to daily alerts on local air quality index National monitoring grid is only 6-8 per cent of the recomemnded requirement Less than 200 cities monitor all six key criteria pollutants Most manual monitoring stations do not meet the minimum requirement of 104 days of monitoring a year; real time stations perform better — over 70 per cent meet the minimum data requirement for assessing air quality trends Only Chandigarh, Delhi and Goa have full population coverage of 100 per cent Distribute regulatory monitors equitably in unmonitored habitations. Adopt hybrid system of air quality monitoring that combines regulatory monitors with standardised air sensors network and satellite monitoring with appropriate protocols for maximum and cost effective coverage of the entire population to assess risk and inform action New Delhi: Of India’s 4,041 census cities and towns, a mere 12 per cent have air quality monitoring systems. What’s more, only 200 of these cities monitor all six key criteria pollutants. This is when compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and clean air targets under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) requires robust air quality monitoring. A new analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) released here today has laid bare this abysmal state of the country’s air quality monitoring network. The analysis points out that this means nearly 47 per cent of the country’s population remains outside the maximum radius of the air quality monitoring grid (manual and real time combined), while 62 per cent is outside that of the real time monitoring network.

Plastic crisis

Review effectiveness of single-use ban PLASTICS can take hundreds of years to decompose, leach harmful chemicals that spread into groundwater when disposed of in landfills, and disrupt marine habitats. The single-use plastic bag epitomises a throwaway culture that continues to wreak environmental havoc. More than 70 countries, according to a United Nations paper, have adopted a full or partial ban on single-use plastic items. Many other nations have imposed a charge or tax on it. An expert’s take on the ineffectiveness of the ban in India is a call to rethink strategy. Centre for Science and Environment director Sunita Narain says the ban has to be enforceable to begin with, laying emphasis on understanding where and why plastic is not getting recycled. The world over, only 10 per cent of plastic is being recycled. The industry and the consumer have been disappointingly slow in exploring reusable options. Policy advisers say it is essential that waste procedures continue to transition away from a single-use model. As Narain points to the benefits of integrating the informal sector into the waste management systems, there is much appreciation for the waste-pickers. But for their efforts to collect every piece of recyclable plastic, she says, India would be drowned in waste. A push to the household-level wet and dry waste segregation, a key ranking parameter of the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0, is advocated as the way forward. There’s no definitive answer to what’s the greenest replacement for a single-use plastic bag. Alternatives have to be real, sustainable solutions. For a start, reuse whatever bags you have, as many times as you can. Be an active participant in a community-based approach that rewards reduction of waste. Promote composting of kitchen waste. Take that small step but stick to it, marking your rejection of an unsustainable way of living. Others will follow.

WHO: Guidelines to protect children from the harmful effects of food marketing

Context: The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidelines to protect children from the harmful effects of food marketing that promotes unhealthy dietary choices. Need for the guidelines: In 2017, to understand the linkages between food and NCDs, the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) conducted the Know your diet — school children survey. The survey found that Most schoolchildren were not eating a balanced diet Children had a low frequency of intake of cereals, vegetables and millet Packaged food was more popular among children than non-packaged food Previous guidelines: 2010 WHO ‘Set of recommendations on the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children In March 2023, WHO published a set of nutritional criteria which aimed to protect children from marketing that promoted unhealthy food and non-alcoholic beverages. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/food/who-releases-policy-recommendations-to-protect-children-from-harmful-effects-of-food-marketing-90393#:~:text=The%20World%20Health%20Organization%20(WHO,that%20promote%20unhealthy%20dietary%20choices.

India’s battery swapping policy for electric vehicles: A timeline

The battery swapping policy seems to have stuck in limbo after strong opposition from the industry. With this policy, the government sought to make electric vehicle (EV) charging quick and more convenient. EVs traditionally come with fixed batteries which can be charged using power supply. Hence for mass adoption of EVs, reliable charging networks are a prerequisite. Apart from the infrastructure needs, charging takes much longer. Towards this, battery swapping is considered an alternative. Battery swapping is a technique where discharged batteries of an EV are exchanged with the charges ones, offering the customer flexibility to charge them separately. It saves time, space, and cost incurred. A draft policy outlined the standardisation of battery dimensions and specifications for battery swapping in two and three wheeler EVs. Standardisation would allow easy and quick swapping of batteries at a swapping station, vehicle or battery make not withstanding. The standardisation bid soon emerged as the point of contention for the industry. Many believed that the standardisation would unfairly benefit one particular original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Additionally, the opposing party also said that standardisation would require a lot of changes to the current platform which may not be feasible in the current scenario. Here is the timeline of all the events that transpired from the time the scheme was proposed to the current scenario. February 2022: The battery swapping scheme was first mentioned by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget 2022 presentation. “Introducing the battery swapping policy and recognising battery or energy as a service will help develop EV infrastructure and increase the use of EVs in public transportation,” she said. In the same month apex public think tank Niti Aayog held an inter-ministerial discussion to formulate a battery swapping policy framework. This was followed by discussions with stakeholders including battery swapping operators, battery manufacturers, vehicle OEMs, financial institutions, and other experts. April 2022: Niti Aayog released the draft policy and invited comments from different stakeholders. It addresses technical, regulatory, institutional, and financing challenges of the battery swapping. “This Policy would support the vision by promoting the adoption of battery swapping technology implemented via Battery as a service (BaaS) business models which will ensure lower upfront costs, minimal downtime, and lower space requirements,” the document stated. November 2022: The department of science and technology (DST) and Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) jointly launched a platform to develop new EV batteries to suit Indian requirements.

बच्चों को खाद्य कंपनियों के मायाजाल से बचाने के लिए डब्ल्यूएचओ ने जारी किए नए दिशानिर्देश

आज जिस तरह से दुनिया भर में जंक फूड का चलन बढ़ रहा है वो अपने साथ अनिगिनत बीमारियों को भी दावत दे रहा है। यह खाद्य पदार्थ खाने में तो स्वादिष्ठ लग सकते हैं लेकिन स्वास्थ्य के दृष्टिकोण से ठीक नहीं होते। हालांकि खाद्य कंपनियां अपने उत्पादों को बेचने और ज्यादा मुनाफे की चाह में इन खाद्य पदार्थों के प्रचार या मार्केटिंग के लिए तरह-तरह की लोकलुभावन और आक्रामक नीतियां अपनाती हैं, जिसके जाल में बच्चे आसानी से फंस जाते हैं। यही वजह है कि बच्चों को इन खाद्य कंपनियों के मायाजाल और लुभावने प्रचार और मार्केटिंग के हानिकारक प्रभावों से बचाने के लिए विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन (डब्ल्यूएचओ) ने नए दिशानिर्देश जारी किए हैं। इनका मकसद जंक फ़ूड से जुड़े आक्रामक प्रचार को रोकने के लिए नीतियां बनाने में मदद करना है। इन दिशानिर्देशों में विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन ने सभी देशों से सिफारिश की है कि वो सभी आयु वर्ग के बच्चों को उन खाद्य और पेय पदार्थों के प्रचार और मार्केटिंग से बचाने के लिए व्यापक और अनिवार्य तौर पर नीतियां लागू करे, जिनमें संतृप्त वसा, ट्रांस फैट, चीनी या नमक की मात्रा कहीं ज्यादा होती है। ट्रांस फैट या ट्रांस फैटी ऐसिड को खाद्य उत्पादों में वसा का सबसे खराब रूप माना जाता है, जिसके अत्यधिक सेवन से हृदय रोग का जोखिम बढ़ जाता है। डब्ल्यूएचओ की ओर से जारी प्रेस नोट में न्यूट्रिशन और फूड सेफ्टी विभाग के निदेशक फ्रांसेस्को ब्रेन्का ने आगाह किया है कि वसायुक्त, चीनी और नमक से भरपूर खाद्य उत्पादों और पेय पदार्थों का बड़े पैमाने पर किया जाने वाला आक्रामक प्रचार बच्चों में अस्वास्थ्यकर खाने की आदतों को जन्म देता है। ब्रेन्का के मुताबिक जिम्मेदारी के साथ प्रचार और मार्केटिंग के तौर-तरीकों को अपनाए जाने के अनुरोधों का कोई सकारात्मक असर नहीं हुआ है। ऐसे में सरकारों को इस मामले में मजबूत और व्यापक नियम बनाने चाहिए।“ गौरतलब है कि एक दशक से भी अधिक समय पहले, डब्ल्यूएचओ से जुड़े देशों ने बच्चों के लिए खाद्य उत्पादों व ऐल्कॉहॉल-रहित पेय पदार्थों के प्रचार पर केन्द्रित विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन की सिफारिशों का समर्थन किया था। इन सिफारिशों को मई 2010 में हुई तिरसठवीं विश्व स्वास्थ्य सभा में जारी किया गया था। लेकिन इनके बावजूद अब भी बच्चे मार्केटिंग के शक्तिशाली तौर-तरीकों से प्रभावित हो रहे हैं। जो उनके स्वास्थ्य पर बुरा असर डाल सकता है। बच्चों की भोजन सम्बन्धी आदतों को प्रभावित कर सकते हैं विज्ञापन डब्ल्यूएचओ द्वारा 03 जुलाई 2023 को जारी यह संशोधित सिफारिशें, हाल के समय में प्राप्त तथ्यों व जानकारियों की समीक्षा और उनके नतीजों पर आधारित है। इनमें मार्केटिंग से बच्चों के स्वास्थ्य, खान-पान की आदतों और भोजन के प्रति उनके रवैये पर होने वाले प्रभावों का भी आंकलन किया गया है। यह दर्शाता है कि खाद्य उत्पादों की मार्केटिंग बच्चों के स्वास्थ्य, खाने की आदतों और भोजन के प्रति उनके दृष्टिकोण को कैसे प्रभावित करता है। संक्षेप में कहें तो वसा, चीनी और नमक से भरपूर इन खाद्य उत्पादों का आक्रामक प्रचार, सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य के लिए बड़ा खतरा है। जो बच्चों में भोजन के चयन, खाद्य पदार्थों के सेवन को प्रभावित करता है। साथ ही यह भोजन के बारे में उनकी धारणाओं को भी आकार देता है। ऐसे में यह दिशानिर्देश सभी उम्र के बच्चों की सुरक्षा को ध्यान में रखते हुए संतृप्त वसा, ट्रांस फैट, चीनी या नमक से भरपूर खाद्य उत्पादों और अल्कोहल रहित पेय पदार्थों की मार्केटिंग के लिए अनिवार्य नियमों की सिफारिश करते हैं। विश्लेषण के मुताबिक, खाद्य वस्तुओं की मार्केटिंग पर पाबन्दी लगाने वाली नीतियां तभी ज्यादा कारगर होंगी, जब वे अनिवार्य रूप से लागू की जाएं। साथ ही जब इनमें सभी उम्र के बच्चों की सुरक्षा का ध्यान रखा जाए। यह दिशानिर्देश खाद्य पदार्थों को वर्गीकृत करने के लिए सरकार के नेतृत्व में पोषक तत्व प्रोफाइल मॉडल का उपयोग करने का भी सुझाव देते हैं, जिन्हें मार्केटिंग से प्रतिबंधित किया जाना चाहिए। गाइडलाइन्स के अनुसार अन्य आयु वर्गों पर भी मार्केटिंग के कारण बढ़ते जोखिम में कमी लाने के उपायों को आजमाना फायदेमंद होगा। साथ ही प्रचार और मार्केटिंग के विभिन्न माध्यमों जैसे डिजिटल मार्केटिंग और अन्य मीडिया प्लेटफॉर्मों पर की जा रही मार्केटिंग के लिए भी व्यापक नीतियां जरूरी हैं। इसके साथ ही कार्टून, खिलौने, गाने या अन्य तकनीकों के साथ-साथ बड़ी हस्तियों द्वारा किया जाने वाला प्रचार जो बच्चों पर गहरी छाप छोड़ता है उसपर भी लगाम कसनी होगी। डब्ल्यूएचओ के मुताबिक इससे जुड़े नीतिगत निर्णय क्षेत्रों और राज्यों की विशिष्ट परिस्थितियों और उनके स्थानीय संदर्भों को ध्यान में रखते हुए किए जाने चाहिए। इन सिफारिशों को अपनाते समय स्थानीय स्तर पर परामर्श महत्वपूर्ण है। इसके अतिरिक्त, यह सुनिश्चित करने के लिए तंत्र मौजूद होना चाहिए कि सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य नीति-निर्माण किसी भी अनुचित प्रभाव से सुरक्षित है। स्वास्थ्य के लिए हानिकारक हैं जंक फ़ूड इन दिशानिर्देशों का उद्देश्य स्वास्थ्य को बढ़ावा देने वाले खाद्य वातावरण तैयार करने में सरकारों की मदद करना है। इससे लोगों को स्वास्थ्य के दृष्टिकोण से बेहतर आहार को चुनने, जीवन भर स्वस्थ खाने की आदतें विकसित करने, आहार की पोषण गुणवत्ता बढ़ाने और गैर-संचारी रोगों के बोझ को कम करने के लिए प्रोत्साहित किया जा सकेगा। देखा जाए तो जंक या अल्ट्रा-प्रोसेस्ड फूड भारतीय बच्चों के लिए भी बड़ी समस्या बन चुका है। यही वजह है कि सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) और डाउन टू अर्थ लम्बे समय से इसके खतरों के बारे में लोगों को जागरूक करता रहा है। इसपर सीएसई ने हाल ही में एक व्यापक अध्ययन भी किया था, जिसमें जंक फ़ूड से जुड़े खतरों के बारे में चेताया गया था। इस अध्ययन के अनुसार भारत में बेचे जा रहे अधिकांश पैकेज्ड और फास्ट फूड आइटम में खतरनाक रूप से नमक और वसा की उच्च मात्रा मौजूद है, जो भारतीय खाद्य सुरक्षा और मानक प्राधिकरण (एफएसएसएआई) द्वारा निर्धारित तय सीमा से बहुत ज्यादा है। सीएसई न केवल इसके खतरे से लोगों को आगाह करता रहा है। साथ ही लेबलिंग से जुड़े कानूनों को तत्काल लागु करने की भी मांग कर रहा है। जो खाद्य पदार्थ स्वास्थ्य के लिए हानिकारक हैं उनपर अलग से लाल चेतावनी लेबल लगाने की भी मांग की थी। देश में अल्ट्रा-प्रोसेस्ड फूड की बिक्री को देखें तो 2005 में जहां यह 2 किलोग्राम प्रति व्यक्ति थी, वो 2019 में बढ़कर 6 किलोग्राम तक पहुंच गई है और 2024 तक उसके 8 किलोग्राम तक पहुंचने का अनुमान है। हाल ही में अखिल भारतीय आयुर्विज्ञान संस्थान (एम्स) के डॉक्टरों ने भी जंक फूड पैकेटों के लेबलों पर शुगर, साल्ट और फैट की वैज्ञानिक सीमा से सम्बंधित जानकारी दिए जाने की मांग की थी, जिससे ग्राहकों को इनके बारे में सही जानकारी मिल सकें और वो जंक फूड को लेकर सही फैसला ले सकें।

‘Plastic ban isn’t working, govt needs to rethink strategy’

According to Sunita Narain, director of the Centre for Science and Environment, the ban has to be enforceable to begin with. We need to understand where and why plastic isn’t getting recycled and devise our plan accordingly, she tells Amit Bhattacharya. The government banned single-use plastics (SUPs) last year. Has the ban been effective? What else needs to be done? ■ The government’s singleuse plastic legislation is too little, too late. Take carry bags. The ban is based on the micron, or thickness, of the bag. Now, if I were to ask, what is the micron of the bag you’re holding, you will say, ‘I don’t know’. This is why it is very difficult to enforce a ban based on microns. Bans on carry bags that have been successful across the world have been ones where there is a total ban on these items. As for other banned products, apart from earbuds, which are made by a few known companies, all others are unbranded items. Now, unbranded items are very difficult to stop at the production stage. For instance, it’s very laudable that the government has put plastic cutlery in the banned list. But its production happens in the unorganised sector. So, you can’t really enforce it at the production stage, but only during sale or use. That means, you are talking about raising awareness among millions of people about the ban. Usually, if you go to a shop and see plastic cutlery, you will assume that the government has in some way allowed it and you will pick it up. That’s why this ban is too little. The way the items have been chosen, you will never be able to enforce it. We need to rethink our plastic strategy and move out of just single-use plastics to something where we can really understand what the problem is, where plastic is not getting recycled and why it is not getting recycled. Those are the items you need to ban. Should products like multilayered plastics, whose use has grown manifold, be brought into the ambit of a more comprehensive ban? ■ In the government strategy, multilayered plastics are covered under what is called EPR — extended producer responsibility. A gutka manufacturer would be told he has to set a target of how much plastic he will collect and recycle. He is not told how many gutka sachets to recycle. He can collect any kind of plastic and give a quantity to the government. Obviously, this is not going to help us dealwith the sachet problem or the multilayered plastics at landfill sites. Let’s understand that the plastic problem in India is because of two things. One, we are not segregating the plastic at source. So, it gets dirty and contaminated and we are not able to reuse it. Two, there is a type of plastic that cannot be recycled. If we understand this, the focus of our strategy would be to make sure there’s wet and dry waste segregation. Once you separate the dry waste, you can start looking at what in it cannot be recycled. And that’s the plastic you need to ban. Obviously, one of the most important materials in that respect would be multilayered plastic. It’s very simple: anything that you want recycled has to be a single polymer. The minute you mix different types of polymers, it is difficult to recycle. The only thing you can then do is send it for co-processing or incineration. But even for incineration and making good quality RDF (refusederived fuel), you need to have the incinerable plastic separated. So, that’s really where the policy for plastic should go. You talked about the importance of segregation. How do you assess the role of civic bodies as organisations responsible for waste collection? ■ Here is some good news. Actually, a lot of progress has been made on household-level segregation. Two things have happened. One, the government policy has changed and that’s a big thing. The ministry of housing and urban affairs (Mohua) has come up with a fantastic policy for Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 2. 0, where they have said that household-level segregation is the bottom line of waste management. They have also said that cities will be rewarded and, in their rankings, have given maximum weightage to householdlevel segregation because they know without this you can never have a circular economy and you can never recycle. So, the Mohua policy itself has been fantastic. It’s a new approach for India and it needs to be understood that we have moved ahead. Secondly, if you look at cities, there are some amazing examples. We talk a lot about Indore but there are others. There is Bhopal, there is Ambikapur. . . There are so many cities now in India doing incredibly powerful work for household-level segregation and waste recycling. So, you’re saying the government strategy of Swachh rankings is working. It’s playing a role in people trying to clean up their act. ■ Absolutely. The ranking is just a number. It has weightages under it, which is the design of the policy. In 2017, the maximum weightage was given to a city that was visibly clean, where you had a collection system in place. In 2023, the weightage is focused on how much waste a city processes. How much house hold-level segregation happens. So, the weightage has changed and that is an important nudge for cities to adopt a different waste management strategy. Would you say that one of the problems with waste management in India is the big role of the informal sector in it? ■ I’ll be very blunt. The only reason this country is not completely drowned in waste is because we have an incredibly sophisticated informal sector, which despite safety concerns, collects every piece of recyclable plastic and is able to sort, segregate and recycle it. We should be immensely grateful to these true waste warriors of India. And, the more successful cities are those that have integrated the informal sector into the waste management systems. And, they have done so very intelligently. There are two models. In one — Pune is an example — the waste management operations have been outsourced to the informal sector, which runs via cooperatives. The other model is where the city has worked out an arrangement in which the dry waste goes to the informal sector for further recycling. Without incorporating the informal sector into our waste management systems, India will never succeed in going forward. We need to make sure these livelihoods are secured and the workers get better employment conditions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they get formal employment but that they get more money and better safety conditions. All this is possible. In Odisha, they have given transgenders the contract for the entire waste management of Bhubaneswar. In Delhi, we thought we could just privatise waste collection and the system would improve. It hasn’t happened. The best examples are coming from cities that are learning wealth from waste is best made using the labour of the poor.

UP govt to conduct aquifer mapping in 4 cities today

Lucknow: Aquifer mapping and management study will be conducted in four cities of the state from Tuesday to ascertain the status of groundwater and water bodies. The survey will be carried out in Jhansi, Rampur, Banda and Rae Bareli to find out the status of groundwater. The exercise is being initiated under AMRUT mission to help urban local bodies governing the four cities to prepare the city water balance and city water action plans. Officials said that the objective is to fulfil at least 20% of the city water demand through recycled or treated water. The groundwater balance within the urban aquifer systems are going to be studied to find out the variations over the past two to three decades. “We are going to find out the new and old tap connections within the four cities, the timing of supply and the quantity of water being supplied. Water bearing formations will be also surveyed and examined to find out the stress level on the aquifers,” said Subrata Chakraborty, senior programme manager (water) at Centre for Science and Environment.

Thermal plants set to reduce pollution with new rules by CEA

India’s major source of power, even in the near future, is going to remain coal-based thermal power plants, hence ash disposal will continue to be a subject of a priority To lower the pollution from coal-based thermal plants, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has come out with guidelines to dispose of various types of ash from thermal plants. The CEA guidelines suggest that fly ash can be disposed of through a high-concentration slurry disposal (HCSD) system. “The generated ash is disposed of in well-designed, constructed, and maintained ash ponds generally in wet slurry form. At a specific location, compared to a wet ash disposal system, a dry ash disposal system may also be suitable. In new projects, due to the inherent benefit of the HCSD system, is being preferred to reduce land and water requirements as well as to prevent contamination of groundwater,” said the CEA report. Basically, thermal power projects (TPP) are to be provided with systems for 100% dry ash extraction and storage and supply of ash to various entrepreneurs for promoting ash utilisation. “As per MOEF&CC notification, each TPP shall install dedicated dry fly ash silos for the storage of at least 16 hours of ash-- based on the installed capacity having separate access roads so as to ease the delivery of ash,” said the CEA guidelines. Wet disposal in high-concentration slurry form is an advanced system of wet disposal with a fly ash concentration of 60% to 70% of ash by weight. Due to the high concentration of ash, it is pumped through high-pressure slurry pumps to the disposal area and needs steel pipes for conveying the slurry. Flexible pipes are used at the disposal area. Centrifugal pumps have also been implemented for conveying high-concentration slurry to long distances in one plant and have since then been reported to be working satisfactorily. The dry ash disposal system is entirely different from the wet disposal system. In the dry ash disposal system, furnace bottom ash (FBA) and pulverised fly ash (PFA) are transported in moistened form from hydro bins and silos, respectively, to ash mound sites on fixed belt conveyors in enclosed gantries. In the ash mound area, ash is disposed of by various types of equipment like fixed, extendable, shiftable, and mobile belt conveyors, a crawler-mounted boom spreader, a crawler-mounted bucket wheel reclaimer, and a variety of wheeled and crawler-mounted mobile equipment. At present, it is being used at only one station – National Capital Thermal Power Station at Dadri. The CEA has recommended that all new plants will use a high-concentration slurry disposal system for ash ponds. The existing plants will carry out a feasibility study to switch over to a high-concentration slurry disposal system and submit the report and time-bound action plan for construction to SPCBs, said the CEA guidelines. In the case of ash mounds, a dry ash disposal system, which is a requirement of the process, will be used. Ash ponds are engineered dam and dyke facilities used for the storage of bottom ash and Pulverised Fly Ash (PFA) generated at Thermal Power Stations. “Ash ponds are also used to enable water to separate from the fly ash slurry. Water from the ash ponds is recycled, reducing the use of fresh water. Ash ponds use gravity to settle out large particulates (measured as total suspended solids) from the thermal power plant,” said the guidelines. “The combustion of coal in Thermal Power Plant (TPP) produces coal combustion residues (CCRs) which is a collective term referring to fly ash, bottom ash, boiler slag, and fluidised bed combustion ash,” said the CEA report. Most of the fine dust entrained by the flue gases leaving the boiler and collected by fabric filter or electrostatic precipitator is known as precipitated fly ash (PFA), which results in 80% of the total coal combustion. The rest of the 20% worth of particles, including unburned carbon settle to the bottom of the boiler called bottom ash (BA). Because of economic viability, thermal power stations most widely dispose of both precipitated fly ash and bottom ash together as a slurry to the pond in which it is stored for a longer period. “As the reuse potential of ash has been increasing during recent years, segregated storage of fly ash and bottom ash is likely to gain popularity among power plants considering better economical returns from the sale of fly ash,” said the report. Presently in India, more than 40,000 hectares of land are occupied for storage of ash. Over a period of time, fly ash disposal can cause problems like large surface setting lagoons for storage, infiltration of transport of water from deposit to the soil, dust carryover in wind from dried lagoons, and leads to ecological and environmental imbalances if proper safeguards are not taken in their design, construction, operation, and maintenance. In India, about 73% of the total electrical energy is generated from coal-based sources. Annually about 271 million tonnes of ash as solid waste/by-product are released during the process of generation of electricity by combustion of pulverised bituminous, sub-bituminous, and lignite coal. Indian coal has low calorific value (3500 Kcal/kg), and results in 30-60% of ash content. India’s major source of power, even in the near future, is going to remain coal-based thermal power plants hence, ash disposal would continue to be a subject of a priority since environmental issues hold greater importance in this century. “Though coal ash has proven to be a resource material for various uses such as earth material, ingredient for cement manufacture, raw material for the manufacture of bricks, tiles, and aggregates, the demand for ash may not at all time match with the supply of ash, which is produced 24x7, as the power plant operates,” said the CEA report. Recently a state-level analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on compliance with sulfur dioxide emission norms by thermal plants said only 5% of the capacity is meeting the norms currently. Plants in all the eastern states are non-compliant. Very few plants in the remaining regions are meeting the norms, says the analysis. The CSE analysis is based on the updated Flue Gas Desulfurisation (FGD) status released by the CEA. “The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) issued a notification specifying the emission norms for coal-based power plants in December 2015. Since then, the norms have been diluted for several parameters and deadlines delayed,” said Nivit Yadav, programme director, of the industrial pollution unit, CSE. As per the CSE analysis, 5% of plants that have so far installed FGDs for controlling SO2 emissions include 9,280 MW that has been reported to have commissioned FGDs and another 1,430 MW that ‘claim to be SO2 compliant’. “We have found that despite five to eight years of extensions in deadlines, 43% of the capacity (Category A, which includes plants within 10 km radius of Delhi-NCR or cities with million-plus population); 11% of the capacity (Category B -- within 10 km radius of critically polluted areas); and 1% of the remaining capacity (Category C) are unlikely to meet the norms by the latest deadlines of 2024, 2025 and 2026, respectively,” said CSE programme officer, industrial pollution unit Anubha Aggarwal.

Outcomes of Paris plastic meet 2023 were far from expectations; here is why

On May 29, when the UN’s 193 member-states met in Paris, the task at hand was to prepare a zero draft of a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution. At the end of the five-day meet of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) for Plastics, this target was deferred. Now, the UN Environment Programme’s INC Secretariat will prepare the zero draft by November this year, when the world meets at Nairobi. This was the second of five meetings due to take place to complete negotiations by 2024. Such a short timeline made it critical to decide on the substance of the text at Paris. The INC Secretariat will now take submissions from observers and countries on principles and scope of the instrument and possibility of work before the Nairobi meet. The outcomes of the meet are far from expectations, especially those of the 57 countries—the so-called High Ambition Coalition—committed to a robust instrument that addresses the full lifecycle of plastic. The reason was a set of delays caused largely by nations with economic interest in plastic and in materials used in its production such as oil, gas and petrochemicals. This group has been informally labelled by civil society and non-profits as the No Ambition Coalition. The first agenda item of the meet—election of a bureau to guide the INC Secretariat in organising future meets—was derailed obecause Eastern European region saw more nominations than two, as stipulated by INC. Moreover, one candidate from Western Europe (this includes US and Canada) faced an objection. Such a situation was unusual; these issues are typically ironed out at regional meets before the plenary. Nevertheless, the INC Secretariat suggested a secret ballot vote for election from both regions. This saw objection from Saudi Arabia, Russia and India, believed to be part of the No Ambition Coalition. They were supported by China, Iran, UAE and Argentina. The objecting countries said allowing voting would set a precedent for future decision-making. They emphasised on a consensus system, though it leaves room for decisions to be stalled if there is no unanimity. Eventually, the bureau was elected, but the voting versus consensus debate continued. On the second day, India reiterated a point of contention from the first INC meet last year. The instrument to end plastic pollution has, for now, adopted rules of procedure followed by the Minamata Convention on Mercury. India has been stressing on “bracketing” Rules 37 and 38.1, essentially rendering them inapplicable. Rule 37, as per the Minamata Convention, gives each country one vote; with a provision for exception to blocs like the EU (INC has already bracketed this provision). Rule 38.1 allows for voting to gain a two-thirds majority, if all measures to reach consensus fail. India’s insistence was echoed by others in the No Ambition Coalition. Finally, INC decided to finalise an interpretative text to highlight the disagreement. The issue will be discussed in Nairobi this November. LOOSE ENDS Even as negotiations began on the third evening of INC-2, it became apparent that certain countries are unwilling to let go of plastic and its profits. The plenary was divided into two contact groups to discuss in parallel substance (objectives and core obligations) and implementation (measures and means). Most member-states agreed the objective of the instrument should read, “End plastic pollution; protect human health and the environment from its adverse effects throughout the life cycle of plastic”. While India did not state a preference on this, it was not in favour of having a timeline to end plastic pollution. The rationale India gave was there would be doubts on the instrument beyond the timeline. An option for core obligations, “Phasing out and/or reducing the supply of, demand for and use of primary plastic polymers”, was rejected by India, Indonesia, Iran, China, Republic of Korea, Russia and the US. India said the problem is of plastic “litter”, not plastic as a material. So, emphasis should be on plastic waste management. This is contradictory to the principles of waste management, in which the first steps are prevention, minimisation and reduction. The idea of developing national action plans on plastic was supported by most member-states. However, India recommended against a template, saying that countries should plan based on circumstances and capacities. The country, with backing from US and Russia, also objected to banning, phasing out, reduction and control of production of specific problematic, unnecessary and avoidable plastics. This is despite India having restrictions on single-use plastic since 2022. The African states emerged as the most progressive group at INC-2. Most of them, including oil-rich Nigeria, agreed to hard interventions on production and use of plastic. PRESSURE POINTS The instrument to end plastic pollution has, in a way, drawn battle lines among countries. As focus shifts to the zero draft, emphasis should be to uphold the basic tenet to address the full lifecycle of plastic. Experts at Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment highlight focus areas: First is the upstream phase or extraction and refining of raw materials, and industrial production of plastic. The text must scrutinise the kind of plastic produced and the chemicals involved in terms of polluting potential. The midstream phase is distribution of plastic through businesses, street vendors and retailers. Focus here should be on phasing out “non-recyclable” plastics. A potential sticking point here is that the options guiding INC discussions use “problematic/unnecessary/avoidable” in lieu of non-recyclable. This opens the text to many interpretations. Finally, the downstream phase is plastic waste management, mechanical recycling and end-of-life disposal. The petroleum, petrochemical and plastic industry uses “disposal” and “industrial recycling” interchangeably. There should be clear definitions. READ MORE: This was first published in the 16-30 June, 2023 print edition of Down To Earth https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/waste/delay-tactics-outcomes-of-paris-plastic-meet-2023-were-far-from-expectations-here-is-why-90142