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'प्रदूषण अब सिर्फ सर्दियों की समस्या नहीं रही, पूरे साल बना रहता संकट': CPCB रिपोर्ट

'सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट' (CSE) के एक अध्ययन में पाया गया कि फरवरी में 16 दिनों तक दिल्ली में ओजोन ही मुख्य प्रदूषक था. यह इस बात का संकेत है कि ओजोन से होने वाला प्रदूषण अब साल भर की चिंता का विषय बनता जा रहा है. पार्टिकुलेट मैटर (PM) के विपरीत, ओजोन सीधे पर्यावरण में उत्सर्जित नहीं होता है, बल्कि यह सूरज की रोशनी की मौजूदगी में नाइट्रोजन ऑक्साइड और वाष्पशील कार्बनिक यौगिकों के बीच होने वाली प्रतिक्रियाओं से बनता है. ओजोन बनाने वाली ये गैसें मुख्य रूप से वाहनों के धुएं, उद्योगों और ईंधन के जलने से निकलती हैं. दिल्ली-एनसीआर की हवा में ये गैसें हमेशा मौजूद रहती हैं, यही वजह है कि जनवरी जैसे ठंडे महीने में भी ओजोन अक्सर दिल्ली का मुख्य प्रदूषक पाया जाता है.

A PIL that defined Delhi-NCR’s green fight against bad air

Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment, said the MC Mehta case fundamentally re-engineered Delhi's air quality governance by establishing an environmental jurisprudence. "By utilising the constitutional right to life to break industrial resistance, this legal crusade forced a sweeping, multi-sectoral clean energy transition across the capital," she said. "This minimised the use of dirty fuels by shutting down coal power plants, shifting all legal industries to natural gas, and cutting the transport sector's diesel consumption by half. It bent the pollution curve," she said.

New Governance Blueprint for India’s Carbon Markets Presented at Bharat Carbon Conclave

Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment; Prof. Gopal Sarangi, TERI School of Advanced Studies; Jasmeet Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Fair Climate Fund India; and Mrinal Ranjan, General Manager, NABARD, joined policymakers and climate experts as new frameworks, research and digital platforms for India’s carbon markets were introduced at Bharat Carbon Conclave India’s carbon market ecosystem is entering a new phase of institutional development as policymakers, climate experts and financial institutions explore ways to connect climate action with global climate finance. At the Bharat Carbon Conclave 2026, stakeholders from across government, research institutions, farmer organisations and civil society gathered to discuss how carbon markets can support ecosystem restoration and sustainable development across the country. The conclave saw the introduction of four initiatives designed to strengthen the governance architecture of India’s emerging carbon economy while improving transparency, community participation and institutional credibility across carbon markets. Participants included Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment; Prof. Gopal Sarangi of TERI School of Advanced Studies; Jasmeet Singh, Chief Executive Officer of Fair Climate Fund India; and Mrinal Ranjan, General Manager at NABARD, along with representatives from government institutions, development organisations, financial institutions and civil society groups working on climate finance and ecosystem restoration. One of the major announcements was the launch of the report titled India’s Carbon Market Landscape developed by the Centre for Grower Centric Eco Value Mechanisms. The study offers a comprehensive assessment of India’s carbon market ecosystem, mapping policy frameworks, technology systems, financial flows and grassroots participation shaping the sector. The report identifies a potential domestic carbon market valued at nearly 49 billion dollars by 2030 and highlights India’s growing role in global climate finance. It also outlines key challenges related to governance standards, carbon credit integrity and equitable distribution of economic value across the carbon value chain. The conclave also introduced the Principles for Responsible Carbon Markets, a governance framework designed to ensure carbon markets deliver credible climate outcomes while protecting the rights and economic interests of farmers and local communities. The framework outlines safeguards around free prior and informed consent, transparent carbon accounting, responsible data governance and equitable benefit sharing mechanisms. It positions communities as central participants in the design and governance of carbon projects rather than passive beneficiaries. Recognising the increasing role of rural landscapes in climate mitigation efforts, the conclave also launched Community Guidebooks on Carbon Markets. These guidebooks aim to help farmer collectives, grassroots organisations and local institutions understand how carbon credits are generated, verified and traded. The publications translate complex carbon market concepts into accessible guidance that allows communities to evaluate participation opportunities, contractual arrangements and potential economic benefits from carbon projects. A digital infrastructure initiative titled the Community Centric Carbon Platform was also introduced at the conclave. Developed by the Centre for Grower Centric Eco Value Mechanisms in collaboration with Primus Partners, the platform connects farmers, community institutions and project developers with carbon markets. The platform integrates farm level climate data, measurement and verification systems, project aggregation tools and transparent credit tracking mechanisms designed to improve traceability and reduce transaction costs. Sameer Jain, Chief Executive Officer of Primus Solutions, said the platform aims to connect credible community led climate projects with responsible sources of climate finance. “While global climate finance continues to grow rapidly, a significant gap remains in ensuring that this capital reaches communities that are actively protecting forests, restoring ecosystems and managing natural resources. The Community Centric Carbon Platform has been designed to bridge this gap by creating a trusted ecosystem that connects credible community led climate initiatives with responsible climate finance,” he said. Shri Praveen Pardeshi, Chief Executive Officer of the Maharashtra Institution for Transformation, highlighted the potential of carbon markets in supporting economic and environmental transitions. “As India moves towards the vision of Viksit Bharat, states like Maharashtra have an opportunity to build growth pathways that are both economically strong and environmentally sustainable. Carbon markets can emerge as an important mechanism to support these transitions while enabling states and communities to unlock new climate linked economic opportunities,” he said. Siddharth Dabhi said credible measurement and verification systems will be essential for building trust in the carbon market ecosystem while ensuring that communities benefit from climate finance opportunities. “India’s carbon market opportunity lies not only in climate mitigation but also in empowering communities that are actively managing landscapes and natural resources. Creating credible systems for measurement, verification and transparent benefit sharing will be critical to ensuring that carbon markets deliver both environmental integrity and meaningful livelihood opportunities,” he said. Pooja Lahiri also highlighted the importance of collaboration across policymakers, industry leaders, financial institutions and communities to build a credible carbon market ecosystem in India. The initiatives introduced at the Bharat Carbon Conclave represent an effort to build an integrated framework for India’s carbon markets that combines research, governance standards, community capacity building and digital infrastructure. As India advances its domestic carbon market framework under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, such initiatives are expected to help connect farmers and rural communities with climate finance opportunities while strengthening the integrity of carbon markets.

Supreme Court closes environmentalist MC Mehta's PIL on Delhi pollution after 40 yrs

“The MC Mehta case set up a new area of jurisprudence in India and a new environmental framework. It became a catalyst for far-reaching changes and helped accelerate action at a time when policy-level action was not picking up momentum. Essentially, it laid the foundation of clean air in Delhi-NCR,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director for research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment.

In Delhi, breathing safely has been a coin toss for the last 4 years, says govt data

Anumita Roychowdhury of the Centre for Science and Environment told Newslaundry last month that seasonal enforcement measures are insufficient; instead, structural and systemic changes are required. “For instance, reducing vehicular pollution requires a massive transition to zero-emissions, meaning the electrification of the vehicle fleet must accelerate to eliminate tailpipe emissions. Simultaneously, we must upscale integrated public transport to curb the explosive growth of vehicles on the road,” she said.

Bharat Carbon Conclave Unveils New Architecture for India’s Carbon Economy with Four Major Launches

The conclave witnessed participation from leading policymakers, climate experts and industry leaders including Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment; Prof. Gopal Sarangi, TERI School of Advanced Studies; Jasmeet Singh, CEO, Fair Climate Fund India; and Mrinal Ranjan, General Manager, NABARD, along with representatives from government institutions, development organisations, financial institutions and civil society working at the intersection of carbon markets, climate finance and ecosystem restoration.

Hope vigilance to protect environment continues’: SC closes plea on Delhi pollution after 40 years

At 80, MC Mehta has a simple formulation for the cause he has pursued for four decades. “People cannot manufacture clean air. Even if we spend billions of dollars, pollution will still leave its impact. Clean air is the basic right of every human being and every animal. It is not negotiable,” he told HT on Thursday, hours after the Supreme Court formally disposed of the writ petition he filed in 1985. Experts said the Delhi pollution case remained a milestone even as its limitations have become clearer with time. “It became a catalyst for far-reaching changes and helped accelerate action at a time when policy-level action was not picking up momentum. Essentially, it laid the foundation of clean air in Delhi-NCR,” said Anumita RoyChowdhury, executive director for research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment.

Pakistan plans plastic reform: Its informal recyclers hold the key

Though India’s 2022 plastic packaging EPR guidelines were a positive step, weak enforcement meant polluters often continued to shun their responsibilities, according to an assessment by think-tank the Centre for Science and Environment. Nearly 59 per cent of producers, importers, brand owners and manufacturers fell short on their targets on flexible plastic packaging – which includes shopping bags and sachets – the assessment found. In 2024, over 1,000 of them were issued a show-cause notice for not meeting their EPR targets.

Meet up with a new flame: LPG crisis shows why India must scale ethanol for cooking

Ethanol burns cleanly, producing primarily CO2 and water vapour, with zero PM2.5, and negligible toxic emissions compared to biomass. Centre for Science and Environment estimates that household cooking emissions in India exceed 350 mn tonnes of CO2 annually, surpassing the entire transport sector. Ethanol clean cooking directly addresses this at scale. Restaurants, hotels and eateries are running out of cooking gas. Indian Hotel & Restaurant Association (AHAR) says 20% of establishments in Mumbai have shut due to disrupted commercial LPG supply, warning that closures could reach 50% if the shortage continues. In Delhi-NCR, commercial cylinders are reportedly selling on the black market for up to ₹1,500. The crunch, of course, stems from the US-Israel war against Iran and the ensuing conflict in West Asia that has disrupted tanker movement through the Hormuz Strait, route for 85-90% of India's LPG imports. Domestic LPG prices have risen by ₹60 in a week, pushing a 14.2 kg cylinder in Delhi to ₹913, the highest since August 2023. With 62% of domestic LPG demand met through imports, this disruption was always a matter of when, not if. The crisis in commercial kitchens, however, is only the visible tip of the iceberg. India's cooking fuel vulnerability runs far deeper. India has made progress under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), connecting 32.99 cr households to LPG, including 10.33 cr subsidised connections. Yet, universal clean cooking remains elusive. About 500 mn people - nearly 40% of the population - rely on biomass fuels. Household air pollution from these fuels contributes to an estimated 1.2 mn premature deaths annually. Even within LPG-connected households, the ₹913-a-cylinder price - ₹613 for PMUY beneficiaries - pushes low-income households back to firewood and dung, particularly in rural areas where these fuels are available. To sustain LPG usage among the poorest, GoI has committed ₹12,000 cr in PMUY subsidies for 2025-26, and sanctioned an additional ₹30,000 cr in compensation to IOCL, BPCL and HPCL for under-recoveries on domestic LPG sales. This is the fiscal cost of a system structurally dependent on imported fuel. While India scrambles to secure LPG supply, its ethanol distilleries are operating below full capacity. India's ethanol production capacity has grown to 1,822 cr litres, supported by about 500 distilleries nationwide. The E20 blending programme requires 1,016 cr litres annually, leaving a substantial surplus available for other applications. Critically, cooking applications don't require anhydrous fuel-grade ethanol at 99.9% purity. 90-95% purity suffices, which lowers both production costs and the barrier to scaling. Diverting about 250 cr litres toward cooking would serve nearly 20 mn households without compromising E20 blending targets. The infrastructure to produce, store and move ethanol across India already exists. Ethanol burns cleanly, producing primarily CO2 and water vapour, with zero PM2.5, and negligible toxic emissions compared to biomass. Centre for Science and Environment estimates that household cooking emissions in India exceed 350 mn tonnes of CO2 annually, surpassing the entire transport sector. Ethanol clean cooking directly addresses this at scale. India's 4.5 mn street food vendors represent a compelling entry point for ethanol cooking deployment. These vendors operate in public spaces where LPG use is often restricted due to explosion risk. Ethanol stoves carry no such risk. Transitioning 1.1-1.3 mn urban vendors from biomass or kerosene to ethanol could reduce 3-4 mn tonnes of CO2 annually, while materially improving occupational health and food safety outcomes. The technology is ready, and its effectiveness is not untested. HPCL and IIT Guwahati have developed an ethanol-fuelled cookstove, and HPCL has announced plans for ethanol ATMs at retail outlets to enable household refills. A pilot in the Sundarbans tested ethanol stoves among households entirely dependent on forest wood, demonstrating viability in resource-constrained, off-grid environments. States are in active conversations about district-level pilots, with existing inter-state ethanol logistics. For example, Karnataka alone has an installed capacity of 270 cr litres, providing a ready supply chain. UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation's (FAO) Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) has documented bioethanol clean-cooking programmes. Validated pilots in Ethiopia and Mozambique - both resource-constrained with high biomass dependence - have demonstrated that ethanol cooking is technically viable, socially acceptable and replicable across diverse geographies. India, with its far larger distillery base, superior logistics infrastructure and existing policy frameworks, is better positioned than any of these countries to deploy ethanol cooking at national scale. India's ethanol ecosystem has matured. But the policy framework has not kept pace. Two specific steps are needed: GoI should designate bioethanol as an approved cooking fuel under PMUY, enabling its integration into the existing subsidy and distribution architecture. 3 state-level pilots should be commissioned, drawing on existing distillery capacity, oil marketing companies (OMC) distribution networks, and stove technology validated at scale. The fiscal arithmetic is unambiguous. Sustaining LPG import dependence at 62% costs over ₹42,000 cr annually in subsidies and under-recoveries. It leaves India structurally exposed to geopolitical shocks, as the current West Asian crisis has demonstrated. Bioethanol cooking is not a replacement for LPG. It is a domestically produced, import-independent complement that India's distilleries can supply today. The capacity exists. The technology exists. The crisis to justify urgency is on every front page this week. What is needed now is a policy decision.

Meet up with a new flame: LPG crisis shows why India must scale ethanol for cooking

Ethanol burns cleanly, producing primarily CO2 and water vapour, with zero PM2.5, and negligible toxic emissions compared to biomass. Centre for Science and Environment estimates that household cooking emissions in India exceed 350 mn tonnes of CO2 annually, surpassing the entire transport sector. Ethanol clean cooking directly addresses this at scale. Restaurants, hotels and eateries are running out of cooking gas. Indian Hotel & Restaurant Association (AHAR) says 20% of establishments in Mumbai have shut due to disrupted commercial LPG supply, warning that closures could reach 50% if the shortage continues. In Delhi-NCR, commercial cylinders are reportedly selling on the black market for up to ₹1,500. The crunch, of course, stems from the US-Israel war against Iran and the ensuing conflict in West Asia that has disrupted tanker movement through the Hormuz Strait, route for 85-90% of India's LPG imports. Domestic LPG prices have risen by ₹60 in a week, pushing a 14.2 kg cylinder in Delhi to ₹913, the highest since August 2023. With 62% of domestic LPG demand met through imports, this disruption was always a matter of when, not if. The crisis in commercial kitchens, however, is only the visible tip of the iceberg. India's cooking fuel vulnerability runs far deeper. India has made progress under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), connecting 32.99 cr households to LPG, including 10.33 cr subsidised connections. Yet, universal clean cooking remains elusive. About 500 mn people - nearly 40% of the population - rely on biomass fuels. Household air pollution from these fuels contributes to an estimated 1.2 mn premature deaths annually. Even within LPG-connected households, the ₹913-a-cylinder price - ₹613 for PMUY beneficiaries - pushes low-income households back to firewood and dung, particularly in rural areas where these fuels are available. To sustain LPG usage among the poorest, GoI has committed ₹12,000 cr in PMUY subsidies for 2025-26, and sanctioned an additional ₹30,000 cr in compensation to IOCL, BPCL and HPCL for under-recoveries on domestic LPG sales. This is the fiscal cost of a system structurally dependent on imported fuel. While India scrambles to secure LPG supply, its ethanol distilleries are operating below full capacity. India's ethanol production capacity has grown to 1,822 cr litres, supported by about 500 distilleries nationwide. The E20 blending programme requires 1,016 cr litres annually, leaving a substantial surplus available for other applications. Critically, cooking applications don't require anhydrous fuel-grade ethanol at 99.9% purity. 90-95% purity suffices, which lowers both production costs and the barrier to scaling. Diverting about 250 cr litres toward cooking would serve nearly 20 mn households without compromising E20 blending targets. The infrastructure to produce, store and move ethanol across India already exists. Ethanol burns cleanly, producing primarily CO2 and water vapour, with zero PM2.5, and negligible toxic emissions compared to biomass. Centre for Science and Environment estimates that household cooking emissions in India exceed 350 mn tonnes of CO2 annually, surpassing the entire transport sector. Ethanol clean cooking directly addresses this at scale. India's 4.5 mn street food vendors represent a compelling entry point for ethanol cooking deployment. These vendors operate in public spaces where LPG use is often restricted due to explosion risk. Ethanol stoves carry no such risk. Transitioning 1.1-1.3 mn urban vendors from biomass or kerosene to ethanol could reduce 3-4 mn tonnes of CO2 annually, while materially improving occupational health and food safety outcomes. The technology is ready, and its effectiveness is not untested. HPCL and IIT Guwahati have developed an ethanol-fuelled cookstove, and HPCL has announced plans for ethanol ATMs at retail outlets to enable household refills. A pilot in the Sundarbans tested ethanol stoves among households entirely dependent on forest wood, demonstrating viability in resource-constrained, off-grid environments. States are in active conversations about district-level pilots, with existing inter-state ethanol logistics. For example, Karnataka alone has an installed capacity of 270 cr litres, providing a ready supply chain. UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation's (FAO) Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) has documented bioethanol clean-cooking programmes. Validated pilots in Ethiopia and Mozambique - both resource-constrained with high biomass dependence - have demonstrated that ethanol cooking is technically viable, socially acceptable and replicable across diverse geographies. India, with its far larger distillery base, superior logistics infrastructure and existing policy frameworks, is better positioned than any of these countries to deploy ethanol cooking at national scale.

Ground-level ozone emerges as year-round pollution concern in Delhi

Ground-level ozone, considered largely a summer pollutant, is now emerging as a year-round concern in the city. An analysis of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data shows that ozone was the lead pollutant in the daily Air Quality Index (AQI) on 16 of the 28 days this Feb, eight days in March so far and twice this Jan. In comparison, it was the main pollutant on nine days in Feb 2025 and two days in Feb 2024, 2021 and 2020, and once in Feb 2022. It wasn't the dominant pollutant in Feb 2023. While ozone typically peaks during the summer months, especially between April and June, this data suggests that elevated levels are now being recorded in other months as well. For example, in Oct 2025, which was the coolest in three years with a mean maximum temperature of 31.7 degrees Celsius, ozone was the lead pollutant for 11 days. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy) of Centre for Science and Environment, said ozone pollution is escalating into a year-round public health concern. "Once a seasonal problem triggered by summer sunlight, toxic ozone levels now persist across all seasons due to high and continuous emissions of gases. Without urgent action to drastically cut gaseous pollutants from vehicles and industries, this highly reactive gas will increase public health risk," she said. A review of hourly ozone data for the month of Feb indicates a worrying trend. The levels of the gas exceeded 101 micrograms per cubic metre for 29 hours in Feb 2026 and 18 hours in Feb 2025. In contrast, the hourly concentration did not cross the 100 micrograms per cubic metre mark in any Feb between 2020 and 2024 even once, according to data analysed by Envirocatalysts, a think tank. Though the national hourly standard for ozone is 180 micrograms per cubic metre, experts said the number of hours showing elevated levels this year is significantly higher than in previous years. Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at Envirocatalysts, said the average temperatures in Feb in previous years were almost similar, but the ozone levels peaked this Feb. "It means that primary precursors like oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are driving ozone levels, as there is no direct correlation between ozone and temperatures. We have also seen that the gas has started turning into a main pollutant during the winter months and pre-summer months, which was not the case a few years ago," said Dahiya. He added that this needs to be tackled in a systematic manner, with a focus on reducing the emission load of all pollutants.

8th Cities Forum Highlights Circular Economy as Key to Sustainable Urban Growth

Meanwhile, Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), stressed that implementing a circular economy requires strong public awareness, particularly in waste segregation at the source, alongside coordinated efforts among governments, institutions, and communities. Ethiopia's Environmental Protection Authority Director General, Lelise Neme stressed that implementing a circular economy is critical to ensuring sustainable development, achieving national and continental development goals, and building resilient and clean cities. She made the remarks at the opening of the 8th International Forum on Cities and Circular Economy, which has brought together policymakers, experts, and development partners to address the growing solid waste challenge in rapidly urbanizing cities. A three-day forum, attended by participants from 15 African countries, aims to explore effective waste management solutions and promote experience sharing among member states. Studies indicate that solid waste generation in Sub-Saharan African cities is rising at an alarming rate, creating increasingly complex environmental and urban management challenges. In 2016, cities in the region generated 174 million tons of solid waste, a figure projected to reach 522 million tons by 2050 if effective measures are not implemented. The Forum on Cities and Solid Waste Circular Economy was established as a collaborative platform to tackle these challenges by promoting innovative solutions, strengthening partnerships, and advancing sustainable waste management practices. Speaking at the opening session, Lelise Neme emphasized that the forum provides an important platform to discuss environmental policy, sustainable development, and the future of cities. She noted that the Ethiopian government is pursuing ambitious environmental and development goals through initiatives such as the Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy, the Ten-Year National Development Plan, and the National Circular Economy Roadmap, launched during the 2024/25 Ethiopian fiscal year. “For Ethiopia, the circular economy is not a distant aspiration; it is an essential pathway for achieving sustainable development, building resilient cities, and advancing both national and continental development goals,” she said. According to her, these frameworks aim to decouple economic growth from resource consumption and environmental degradation through key measures such as strengthening sustainable waste management and recycling systems, including plastics, batteries, and electronic waste. They also focus on promoting eco-industrial parks and extended producer responsibility systems, accelerating the transition to clean energy and green transport, and supporting green entrepreneurship, particularly among youth and women. Also addressing the forum, Fanta Dejene, State Minister of Ministry of Urban and Infrastructure, warned that rapid urbanization is generating large volumes of waste that could pose serious threats to human health, the environment, infrastructure, and natural resources if not properly managed. He noted that the ministry is working to ensure sustainable urban growth by integrating strategies aimed at transforming solid waste into valuable economic resources. The Ambassador of India to Ethiopia, Anil Kumar Rai, highlighted India’s experience in waste recycling and green job creation. He reaffirmed his country’s commitment to supporting member states through technology transfer, knowledge exchange, and capacity-building initiatives. Meanwhile, Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), stressed that implementing a circular economy requires strong public awareness, particularly in waste segregation at the source, alongside coordinated efforts among governments, institutions, and communities. During the forum, the Addis Ababa City Cleansing Management Agency shared its best practices in waste recycling, riverside development initiatives, and the ongoing Corridor Development Project in Addis Ababa. The event concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Environmental Protection Authority and the Centre for Science and Environment, aimed at strengthening cooperation on circular economy initiatives and sustainable waste management.

8th Cities Forum Highlights Circular Economy as Key to Sustainable Urban Growth

Ethiopia’s Environmental Protection Authority Director General Lelise Neme has underscored the importance of implementing a circular economy to support sustainable development, achieve national and continental development goals, and build resilient, clean cities. Neme made the remarks during the opening of the 8th International Forum on Cities and Circular Economy, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which has convened policymakers, experts and development partners to address the growing challenge of solid waste in rapidly urbanizing cities. The three-day forum, attended by participants from 15 African countries, aims to explore effective waste management solutions and promote the sharing of experiences among member states. Studies show that solid waste generation in Sub-Saharan African cities is increasing at an alarming rate, creating complex environmental and urban management challenges. In 2016, cities in the region generated about 174 million tons of solid waste, a figure projected to rise to 522 million tons by 2050 if effective interventions are not implemented. The Forum on Cities and Solid Waste Circular Economy was established as a collaborative platform to address these challenges by promoting innovative solutions, strengthening partnerships and advancing sustainable waste management practices. Speaking at the opening session, Neme said the forum provides an important platform to discuss environmental policy, sustainable development and the future of cities. She noted that Ethiopia is pursuing ambitious environmental and development goals through initiatives such as the Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy, the Ten-Year National Development Plan and the National Circular Economy Roadmap launched during the 2024/25 Ethiopian fiscal year. “For Ethiopia, the circular economy is not a distant aspiration; it is an essential pathway for achieving sustainable development, building resilient cities, and advancing both national and continental development goals,” she said. According to Neme, these frameworks seek to decouple economic growth from resource consumption and environmental degradation through measures such as strengthening sustainable waste management and recycling systems, including those for plastics, batteries and electronic waste. They also prioritize the promotion of eco-industrial parks and extended producer responsibility systems, accelerating the transition to clean energy and green transport, and supporting green entrepreneurship, particularly among youth and women. Also speaking at the forum, State Minister of Urban and Infrastructure Fanta Dejene warned that rapid urbanization is generating large volumes of waste that could pose serious risks to human health, the environment, infrastructure and natural resources if not properly managed. He said the ministry is working to ensure sustainable urban growth by integrating strategies aimed at transforming solid waste into valuable economic resources. India’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Anil Kumar Rai, highlighted India’s experience in waste recycling and the creation of green jobs, reaffirming his country’s commitment to supporting member states through technology transfer, knowledge exchange and capacity-building initiatives. Meanwhile, Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), stressed that implementing a circular economy requires strong public awareness, particularly in waste segregation at the source, as well as coordinated efforts among governments, institutions and communities. During the forum, the Addis Ababa City Cleansing Management Agency presented its best practices in waste recycling, riverside development initiatives and the ongoing Corridor Development Project in Addis Ababa. On the first day of the event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between the Environmental Protection Authority and the Centre for Science and Environment to strengthen cooperation on circular economy initiatives and sustainable waste management.

STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN INDIA, 2026 REPORT

Released by:The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)à consistently brought out annual reports since 1982. View ofà The environmental challenges the country faces, ranging from floods, extreme weather events, changes in tiger behaviour, to air pollution, among others. Global perspective of climate change and connects it to the Indian context. Increasing of extreme weather events The year 2025 àhighest increase in frequency and impact of extreme weather events in India, including heatwaves, cold waves, and heavy rain, flood, in the last four years. 2025àExtreme weather events happenedà 99% of days in 2025, resulting 4,419 reported deaths and affecting at least 17. 41 million hectares of crop area. 2024àextreme weather events occurred on 88% of days, causing 3393 deaths and impacting 3.61 million ha of crop area. 2023àAbout 89% of days experienced such events, with 3208 deaths and 2.09 million ha of crop damage. Worst-hit states – Himachal Pradesh (267 days), followed by Kerala (173 days), and Madhya Pradesh (162 days). Key policy recommendations to improve the environment India àshould move from post-disaster relief work to pre-disaster resilience. Climate change is not a distant possibilityà it is already shaping our rivers, our cities, and our lives. Future resilience will depend on how quickly we can integrate climate science into everyday planning Nature-based solutionsà emphasizes the need for nature-based solutions such as restoring wetlands, reconnecting rivers to their floodplains, groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting, and restoration and construction of lakes. Structural InequalityàThe absence of monitoring is not just a gap in information, but it is an example of structural inequality in India’s environmental governance

Ethiopia: 8th Cities Forum Highlights Circular Economy As Key to Sustainable Urban Growth

Ethiopia's Environmental Protection Authority Director General, Lelise Neme stressed that implementing a circular economy is critical to ensuring sustainable development, achieving national and continental development goals, and building resilient and clean cities. She made the remarks at the opening of the 8th International Forum on Cities and Circular Economy, which has brought together policymakers, experts, and development partners to address the growing solid waste challenge in rapidly urbanizing cities. A three-day forum, attended by participants from 15 African countries, aims to explore effective waste management solutions and promote experience sharing among member states. Studies indicate that solid waste generation in Sub-Saharan African cities is rising at an alarming rate, creating increasingly complex environmental and urban management challenges. In 2016, cities in the region generated 174 million tons of solid waste, a figure projected to reach 522 million tons by 2050 if effective measures are not implemented. The Forum on Cities and Solid Waste Circular Economy was established as a collaborative platform to tackle these challenges by promoting innovative solutions, strengthening partnerships, and advancing sustainable waste management practices. Speaking at the opening session, Lelise Neme emphasized that the forum provides an important platform to discuss environmental policy, sustainable development, and the future of cities. She noted that the Ethiopian government is pursuing ambitious environmental and development goals through initiatives such as the Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy, the Ten-Year National Development Plan, and the National Circular Economy Roadmap, launched during the 2024/25 Ethiopian fiscal year. "For Ethiopia, the circular economy is not a distant aspiration; it is an essential pathway for achieving sustainable development, building resilient cities, and advancing both national and continental development goals," she said. According to her, these frameworks aim to decouple economic growth from resource consumption and environmental degradation through key measures such as strengthening sustainable waste management and recycling systems, including plastics, batteries, and electronic waste. They also focus on promoting eco-industrial parks and extended producer responsibility systems, accelerating the transition to clean energy and green transport, and supporting green entrepreneurship, particularly among youth and women. Also addressing the forum, Fanta Dejene, State Minister of Ministry of Urban and Infrastructure, warned that rapid urbanization is generating large volumes of waste that could pose serious threats to human health, the environment, infrastructure, and natural resources if not properly managed. He noted that the ministry is working to ensure sustainable urban growth by integrating strategies aimed at transforming solid waste into valuable economic resources. The Ambassador of India to Ethiopia, Anil Kumar Rai, highlighted India's experience in waste recycling and green job creation. He reaffirmed his country's commitment to supporting member states through technology transfer, knowledge exchange, and capacity-building initiatives. Meanwhile, Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), stressed that implementing a circular economy requires strong public awareness, particularly in waste segregation at the source, alongside coordinated efforts among governments, institutions, and communities. During the forum, the Addis Ababa City Cleansing Management Agency shared its best practices in waste recycling, riverside development initiatives, and the ongoing Corridor Development Project in Addis Ababa. The event concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Environmental Protection Authority and the Centre for Science and Environment, aimed at strengthening cooperation on circular economy initiatives and sustainable waste management.