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India pledges $4 billion for green energy to cut carbon emissions

India’s plan to transition its economy towards green-energy production was a strong focus of this year’s national budget, with the government pledging 350 billion rupees (US$4.25 billion) to aid the transition. Climate-policy researchers say the funding is a welcome first step but that it needs to be followed by long-term commitments. In November 2021, India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, set the goal for his country, the world’s third-biggest emitter of green-house gases, to reach net-zero emissions by 2070. Indian policy analysts applauded the target, but said it was unclear how the country would make the steep emissions cuts needed to achieve it. The budget indicates that India is serious about mitigating climate change, says climate scientist Jayaraman Srinivasan at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. “But to meet the goal of net zero by 2070, it will take many decades of consistent policy to transition from coal, oil and gas to renewables,” he says. Senior government scientists say that the announcement will also help to set the country’s future research agenda. Green hydrogen Presenting the annual budget in the country’s parliament on 1 February, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the government is implementing programmes to decarbonize many industries, including energy, agriculture and construction. It committed 19.7 billion rupees to make India a global hub of production and an exporter of ‘green hydrogen’ — which is produced using renewable energy to break up water into oxygen and hydrogen, rather than made using fossil fuels. The hydrogen can then be used as fuel by other carbon-intensive industries, such as cement and steel. The ministry of new and renewable energy will receive 10.22 billion rupees, a 48% increase on last year’s budget. But funding for the ministry of environment, forests and climate change, which oversees crucial programmes on adaptation and mitigation, remains stagnant at around 30 billion rupees in 2022–23. Tiju Thomas, a materials engineer at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, says that to boost the country’s production of low-emissions hydrogen will require synergy between policymaking, industry and research. “It is the right time for India to up its game in energy transition,” says Thomas. But the country also needs to increase its energy-storage capacity to take advantage of other forms of renewable energy, such as solar and wind, which are not available all the time, Srinivasan points out. India is already facing the brunt of climate change. The first national assessment1 of climate change found that the average temperature rose by around 0.7°C between 1901 and 2018. And the country experienced an extreme event almost every day in 2022, according to an analysis released in November by the non-government organization Centre for Science and Environment in New Delhi. Heavy rains, floods and landslides were the most frequent events. Furthermore, climate change and population increase will reduce the availability of water. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-00285-w

Budget 2023: ₹35,000 crore outlay for growth in green energy transition

Union Budget 2022-23 highlights the government’s focus on energy transition, which is expected to fuel “green growth” in the country in the coming years. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman listed “green growth” among four opportunities that can be transformative for India in the run up to 2047, the country’s 100th year of independence. The other three are: economic empowerment of women, integrating traditional artisans with the MSME sector, and tourism. “We are implementing many programmes for green fuel, green energy, green farming, green mobility, green buildings, and green equipment, and policies for efficient use of energy across various economic sectors. These green growth efforts help in reducing carbon intensity of the economy and provides for large-scale green job opportunities,” Sitharaman said while introducing the Budget. The Budget provides ₹35,000 crore for priority capital investments towards net zero transition and energy security by the ministry of petroleum and natural gas, Sitharaman announced. India formally updated its nationally determined contribution (NDC) to fight climate change, confirming to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change last August that it will reduce the emissions intensity of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 45% from 2005 levels by the year 2030, and source about 50% of its energy requirement from non-fossil fuel-based sources the same deadline. India also underlined that its NDC would help achieve the long-term goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2070. To be sure, while India appears on track for achieving installed capacity of electricity generation from non-fossil fuel-based sources, actual generation from such sources is more volatile and much lower. Data from the Central Electricity Authority for the 2022 bears this out. Renewable installed capacity averaged 41.5% from January to December last year, growing consistently every month. Generation from renewable sources, on the other hand, averaged 29.2% from January to November (latest available data), with great month-wise variability. The budget also promised to support through viability gap funding, battery energy storage systems with capacity of 4,000 MWH and formulate a detailed framework for so-called pumped storage projects (those that facilitate storage of hydroelectric power). The main policy to facilitate energy transition however will be the Green Hydrogen Mission which was approved by the Centre on January 4, 2023. The mission, with a target of 5 MMT of green hydrogen production a year by 2030, has an outlay of ₹19,700 crores and “will facilitate transition of the economy to low carbon intensity, reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports, and make the country assume technology and market leadership in this sunrise sector,” Sitharaman said. The budget has also announced the creation of an interstate transmission system for evacuation and grid integration of 13 GW renewable energy from Ladakh with an investment of ₹20,700 crore of which ₹8,300 crore will be provided by the Centre. “The budget will lead to significant job creation through the green economy. Support to various sectors like green hydrogen, bio-manure, offgrid solar and storage among others will create economic opportunities for entrepreneurs and job seekers. Interestingly, the budget has specifically allocated a significant amount for evacuation and grid integration infrastructure for harnessing the renewable energy potential for Ladakh. We can expect this to spur the economic development of this region ,” said Vaibhav Chaturvedi, Fellow, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). For the ₹35,000 crore to result in meaningful energy transition, for which $30 billion of energy finance is required every year, three measures are a must, explained Ulka Kelkar, economist and director of the climate programme at World Resources Institute India: ”Risk guarantees to reduce the cost of capital for low-carbon investments in the country; demand aggregation measures as has been done for LED lighting and electric buses; and viability gap financing for hydrogen electrolysers and offshore wind as has been announced for battery storage.” “I think the budget shows that there is realisation that we must act now. The intent was there but there is more detailing now. We have started putting flesh on the structure. Green Hydrogen is critical but I am also very excited about the bio CNG work and natural farming. The push for natural farming will also make us climate resilient. The convergence of MGNREGS and other funds for mangrove plantation is very interesting. This budget is better than the previous ones,” said Sunita Narain, director general, Centre for Science and Environment.

Media reaction: US Inflation Reduction Act and the global ‘clean-energy arms race’

Last summer, US president Joe Biden made history by passing the largest package of domestic climate measures ever under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). After earning praise at home for the bill – which includes $369bn for climate measures such as tax breaks for clean energy and electric vehicles – Biden proudly presented his new green agenda to the world at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt in November. But, at the sidelines of the talks, tensions were already brewing about how the IRA may affect industry and business in other countries – and even fuel a global “clean-energy arms race”. World leaders from Brussels to Seoul say the small print of the IRA – which stipulates that generous subsidies will only be on offer to companies operating mostly or wholly in the US – amounts to “green protectionism” and could harm business overseas. Now – as the EU publishes its response to the IRA – Carbon Brief examines why the bill is fuelling global trade tensions, how key countries from Canada through to China and India are responding and what the media reaction has been. Why is the US Inflation Reduction Act causing a stir in other countries? On 16 August 2022, Biden signed the IRA into law, describing it as “the most significant legislation in history to tackle the climate crisis”. The bill contains $437bn of “investments” including tax credits by the federal government, of which $369bn will go towards “energy security and climate change”. As Carbon Brief noted in its in-depth summary of the release of the IRA, the initial reaction to the bill was generally positive – both domestically and internationally. However, in the months that followed, countries began to express their discontent at the “protectionist” measures contained within the bill. In September 2022, South Korea was one of the first countries to speak out against the IRA. The Financial Times reported: “Seoul is furious that EVs manufactured by Hyundai in South Korea will be excluded from generous consumer tax credits contained in the IRA.” By December, French president Emmanuel Macron was warning that the IRA risked “fragmenting the west”, according to the FT. But what is it exactly about the bill that has other countries concerned? A major focus of the bill is incentivising clean-energy manufacturing and production within the US. As the Guardian reported, the IRA “offers huge subsidies and tax credits to companies investing in renewable energy technologies, such as batteries, solar panels and wind turbines – as long as the products and parts they manufacture are made in America”. The extract below shows the section of the IRA that stipulates that clean-energy tax credits should only apply to sales of products made within the US. Another major target of the IRA is boosting domestic production of EVs and their components. As Alan Beattie, author of the FT’s Trade Secrets newsletter explained in October, the IRA’s passage on “clean vehicles” contains rules to exclude those made in other countries: “It contains blatantly discriminatory measures, offering US consumers tax credits to buy electric vehicles only if they’re assembled in North America. It also requires critical minerals and batteries increasingly to be bought from North America or a country with which the US has a preferential trade agreement, and deters sourcing from high-risk countries such as China.” The IRA effectively snubs countries such as China by stipulating that EVs that include components manufactured or assembled by a “foreign entity of concern” are excluded from receiving tax breaks. Inflation reduction act text mentioning foreign entity of concern But even economies with better relations with the US, such as the EU, South Korea and the UK, are affected by rules favouring EVs assembled in North America, according to Beattie. (Biden denies this was the intention of his legislation, see: What does the US make of the global response?) A separate article in the FT explained that the small print on tax breaks for clean energy and EV production means that “companies are [essentially] rewarded for reorganising supply chains to be located either in the US or among allies and partners”. It added: “The EU says the IRA’s local-content requirements are incompatible with World Trade Organization rules that are meant to bar discrimination against products based on their country of origin.” (Canada, South Korea and the UK have also accused the US of flouting WTO rules.) The incentives set out in the IRA have already driven “a swathe of electric vehicle and battery makers” to announce new investment plans in the US, according to a separate FT explainer. It said: “Among them are large European companies. BMW announced a nearly $2bn investment in South Carolina late last year, for example, as it expands its existing plant and builds an additional battery plant nearby. Freyr announced a $1.7bn initial capital investment in Georgia late last year. Enel also announced it would build a solar photovoltaic cell and panel factory in the US.” Since the IRA was passed into law last August, at least 20 new or expanded clean energy manufacturing plants have been announced in the US, according to the FT. This week, the EU released its own Green Deal Industrial Plan – a package of measures widely interpreted to be the bloc’s direct response to the IRA. Some see this as evidence that the IRA has sparked a “clean-energy arms race” – whereby major economies will battle to introduce more and more generous policies to attract green businesses. EU Observer reported that experts are split on whether this will be a help or hindrance in the global fight against climate change. The publication explained: “Experts have warned a bonanza of competing subsidies could result in a ‘race to the bottom’ as companies could threaten to move overseas unless they receive ever higher subsidies. But others believe the planet may benefit from green competition as states try to overtake each other in embracing cleaner, cheaper energy.” How has the EU reacted to the Inflation Reduction Act? The act has caused a significant stir in European circles with the European Commission this week setting out green industry finance proposals partly to counter the IRA. On 25 November last year, commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis said many of the “green subsidies” in the IRA “discriminate against EU automotive, renewables, battery and energy-intensive industries”. He called for EU companies and exports to be “treated in the same way in the US as American companies and exports are treated in Europe”. In November, Reuters reported that a task force set up between the EU and US to discuss “specific concerns” about the IRA was aimed to avoid any “kind of trade war”, according to the German economy minister. The “brewing transatlantic trade spat”, as it was described on 17 November by Politico, was overshadowing efforts to restore the EU-US relationship since Donald Trump left US office, according to officials spoken to by the publication. Euractiv reported that IRA issues also loomed over a 25 November meeting of EU trade ministers. Reuters quoted Germany’s finance minister, Christian Lindner, as saying in November: “I have not been assured that the American side has completely grasped how great our concerns about the consequences are.” France and Germany were at the forefront of the EU response to the IRA. French president Emmanuel Macron visited Biden in Washington in late November. The meeting was a “turning point” in EU-US discussions around the IRA, according to France’s finance minister Bruno Le Maire in a joint interview with Reuters and the Financial Times. Macron warned on his first day of the visit that the US climate law risked “fragmenting the west”, the Financial Times reported. By the end of the visit, CNN reported that Biden said the US makes “no apologies” for the law, but that there were some “glitches” and amendments that may be made. The French president “snatched an unexpected win” with this admission from Biden, Politico said, quoting the US President as saying: “I never intended to exclude folks who were cooperating with us. That was not the intention.” Discussions at the EU-US Trade and Technology Council in December last year “moved the needle in order to get closer to a solution” on IRA issues, Bloomberg reported. At a European leaders summit on 15 December, European Council president Charles Michel said the bloc wants “to get exemptions like Canada and Mexico” in the IRA, ABC News reported. The EU had been discussing response options and rumours were circulating in Brussels around raising the IRA issue at the World Trade Organization, the Washington Post reported, adding that the French president also came up with the idea of a “Buy European Act”. On 17 January, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU would mobilise state aid and a sovereignty fund to entice firms away from moving to the US to avail of IRA benefits. Von der Leyen said the bloc would pass legislation to speed up the granting of licences for green-tech firms, the Times reported, adding that the sovereignty fund would use existing funds from the long-term EU budget. This has been a key issue for some EU countries. The Irish Times reported on 27 January that seven EU states wrote a letter to EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis to oppose any new money for green industry originating from outside of existing bloc funding. Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte also said he will oppose any new EU money being used to fund the response to the US law, the Financial Times said. Rutte said there was no need for “fresh money” with “so much money at this moment in the system” already. The EU’s response to the IRA should not “threaten functioning markets and fair competition”, the executive vice-presidents of the European Commission wrote in the Financial Times. They added: “A tit-for-tat reaction risks significant economic self-harm. Instead, to make Europe the home of industrial innovation as we transition to net-zero, we need common action through an EU green deal industrial plan.” The head of the International Energy Agency said the EU needs a “master plan for a new industrial strategy” to keep pace with the “age of clean-energy technology manufacturing”, Bloomberg reported on 27 January. According to the EU internal market commissioner quoted in Reuters that day, the EU wanted a deal quickly to resolve the IRA dispute. Thierry Breton said Europe must draw from the US law “without emulating all their elements”. A draft version of the EU’s response to the IRA began to emerge in late January. An early leak included proposals for new funding for the green-tech industry to counterbalance subsidies in the US and China, Reuters reported. But diplomats told the publication that these proposals were likely to be changed before a meeting on 9-10 February. The Financial Times said a later draft showed the commission planned to propose a relaxation of state-aid rules, including tax benefits, to support green-sector investment. Reuters said the draft also showed that producers of technologies such as renewable hydrogen and batteries could receive faster permits in the EU. The newswire also reported that the commission would not propose any new joint EU borrowing for its plan. This was confirmed when the final versions of the “Green Deal Industrial Plan” were released on Wednesday this week. The plan included proposals to increase levels of state aid to allow Europe to compete with the US as a manufacturing hub for electric vehicles, Reuters reported. on der Leyen proposed loosening state aid rules for renewable energy investment until the end of 2025, the newswire continued, while also recognising that not all EU countries will be able to offer subsidies to the same extent as France or Germany. Portugal’s finance minister had previously said the package should ensure that the “smaller European countries cannot lose to the larger countries in an internal competition”, according to an earlier Reuters report. EU member states will decide whether they want to back the commission’s proposals at a summit on 9-10 February. In the days before this, Reuters said Germany’s economy minister and France’s finance minister will visit Washington to discuss IRA concerns with their US counterparts. How has the UK reacted to the Inflation Reduction Act? The UK government’s response to the IRA has been nowhere near as strong as the EU’s, but the measures have, nevertheless, caused a stir among politicians and industry groups. Speaking at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, business secretary Grant Shapps described the IRA as “dangerous because it could slip into protectionism”, according to the Sun. As reported by Reuters, chancellor Jeremy Hunt has also expressed his displeasure, telling journalists: “Yes, we have some concerns about the Inflation Reduction Act and the reason is that we believe in free trade.” In a letter sent to US trade representative Katherine Tai, international trade secretary Kemi Badenoch wrote that the IRA would benefit “our most prominent competitors”, which the Daily Telegraph described as “a reference to China because of the threat to Western supply chains”. Badenoch also expected the UK to receive special treatment, the paper reported, quoting her saying: “The UK expects to be and should, as the closest of US allies, be part of any flexibilities in the implementation of the IRA.” Former energy minister and “net-zero tsar” Chris Skidmore also sounded the alarm about the IRA in his independent review of the government’s approach to net-zero, released at the start of January. The report mentioned the measures 22 times, alongside other major interventions by the EU, France and Germany. It emphasised the relatively weak position that the UK was in, compared to some of its economic rivals: “In this context, the absence of long-term funding commitments to some of the major technologies we know will be required by the UK appears to be creating unnecessary uncertainty and risk.” A Daily Telegraph article noted that the UK is at risk of being “caught in the crossfire” of a subsidy war, as EU nations plan to take firm action in response to the US measures. Meanwhile, industry groups have warned that clean-energy companies are already starting to choose the US over the UK. In response, the nation should “send its own bold investment signals to maintain its leadership position”, according to Alistair Phillips-Davies, chief executive of energy firm SSE, quoted in the Times. In an article about the collapse of the electric car battery startup Britishvolt, Politico referenced the IRA and efforts in mainland Europe to pump money into similar ventures. “The clock is ticking for the UK to up its game”, it stated. Despite the UK’s relatively muted response to the IRA so far, Bloomberg reported that the nation was “continuing to express its concerns privately to the US”. It said business and trade ministers had been holding meetings with their US counterparts, and hoping that their grievances would be addressed. Meanwhile, the opposition Labour party has begun to spell out its case for more decisive action. According to the Financial Times, shadow climate and net-zero secretary Ed Miliband has stated that “the government should be acting with a British version of the In How have other parts of North America reacted? The Canadian government’s “fall economic statement” last November made clear that it was taking the actions of its powerful southern neighbour seriously: “In light of the US IRA, significant steps will need to be taken to ensure that Canada remains competitive in North America and the world.” Specifically, it announced plans to establish “an investment tax credit of up to 30% for investments in clean technologies…battery storage solutions and clean hydrogen”, framing this as a direct response to the IRA. Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau had previously put more of a positive spin on the IRA than the leaders of some other nations, describing it as “raising the bar in a great way”. According to CBC, Trudeau stated that the reason the US had to introduce such significant measures was because, unlike Canada, “they don’t have a price on pollution”. He added that “they are starting to catch up to where Canada is”. (It is worth noting that Canada has repeatedly failed to meet its climate targets and has the worst record of any G7 nation for cutting emissions since the Paris Agreement was signed.) However, Canadian finance minister Chrystia Freeland also acknowledged that there were “elements” of the IRA that Canada needed to “respond to”, according to Reuters. On top of the fall economic statement measures, she said there would be “further action in the budget in the spring”. The government has been under pressure from business leaders who have argued that there is no time to waste, according to BNN Bloomberg. The outlet reported that industry group the Business Council of Canada said Freeland should move the budget date into February instead of March or April At the same time, the US’ neighbours have explicitly welcomed elements of the IRA that directly benefit them. After concerns that electric-vehicle tax credits in the act would only apply to US carmakers, instead the final wording specified “North American” companies, opening it up to Canada and Mexico. This was celebrated by the Mexican economic ministry, which released a statement saying “in our region, we produce together to compete globally”, according to Mexico Business News. How have major Asian economies reacted? China Commentators in China have reacted adversely to the IRA, with experts labelling the law as “naive”, “deceptive” and “likely [to] provoke a global trade war not seen since the end of the World War II”. Simultaneously, many have called for the EU to “join hands” with China and other “emerging market economies” against the US move. For example, an article in state-run newspaper China Daily quoted Yan Shaohua, an associate professor at Shanghai’s Fudan University, who said: “[I]t is important that the EU’s response does not reflect a zero-sum thinking as the US does. China and the EU have more consensus and common interests than differences in the area of the green transition. Both sides should work together to make sure that their competition serves not only their national interests but also the common good of our planet.” A comment in the government-supporting Global Times by researcher Zhigao He drew connections between the war in Ukraine and US-EU relations. He wrote: “Europe is not only facing the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but also suffering the backlash of America First” and that “the US reaps the benefits while Europe swallows the bitter fruits.” An earlier piece in the Global Times by Zhao Yongsheng in January warned that “the IRA not only targets European new-energy vehicles (NEV), but the entire European industrial chain”. He added that “only when European countries join forces with other economies, they may be able to form a considerable constraint on the US…and [force] it to implement at least partial exemptions for China and European countries in NEVs and green energy.” A Global Times editorial two weeks ago said that “clean tech may become a spotlight of the mutual cooperation between the two sides [the EU and China]”. South Korea Reactions from other major Asian superpowers, particularly South Korea, have been largely negative. In an interview with Euractiv, South Korea’s trade minister Dukgeun Ahn pointed to the “myopic” and “discriminatory structure of the law” which could affect European and Korean producers. Ahn called for the EU to work with Korea “to make the [IRA] system more compatible with the WTO, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble to strategically important parts of our industry”. At the same time, the outlet reported Ahn remarking that while the EU “has long been a very important gatekeeper for the world trading system based on the rule of law”, many of its own proposals “incorporate the similar kind of spirit of the IRA”. It quotes him saying: “In case the EU steps across that limit, we will have to deal with the opening of Pandora’s box. Japan, Korea, China, every country will engage in this very difficult race to ignore global trading rules, which we spent the past few decades to build.” An article in the Diplomat from September last year outlines the “friction” the IRA has caused in US-South Korea relations and that “South Korea’s concerns extend beyond the details of the Inflation Reduction Act”. According to the piece, “Seoul has worked with the Biden administration to deepen the economic relationship between [both countries], specifically on supply chain resilience, semiconductors, and climate change”. It continues that “South Korean firms have made a series of significant investment commitments in the US”, which are now at stake. A story in the Financial Times around the same time said that “Seoul is furious that EVs manufactured by Hyundai in South Korea will be excluded from generous consumer tax credits”. An editorial by the East Asia Forum said that “from architect-in-chief to enforcer-in-chief, the US has become spoiler-in-chief of the international trade regime”. Meanwhile, Brad Glosserman, deputy director of a Tama University thinktank, commented in the Japan Times that while “a race to the bottom to attract green industries will [arguably] lead to duplication and waste…[t]he world needs as much green investment as can be mustered; any waste from competing subsidies will be utterly overwhelmed by the costs of climate change”. Efficiency losses, he wrote, “are the equivalent of change lost in sofas”. India In India, the IRA has received a muted media reaction, but the government has responded via a budget that places “green growth” and subsidies for domestic renewables production front-and-centre. In a piece in Time magazine, Amitabh Kant, India’s G20 sherpa, described the IRA as “the most protectionist act ever drafted in the world.” He added: “You don’t [decarbonise] by being uncompetitive and doing something which you’ve been against all your life. You believed in market forces and now you do this?” Kant called on the US to rethink its legislation that favours its own manufacturers and “find a way out for its trusted partners”, including India. India is the current G20 president and Kant said he is keen that the forum be used to discuss issues, resolve differences and develop “rules of the road for so-called green hydrogen” that India, for one, wants to export to the world. Business paper Mint, in a recent editorial, pointed out that the IRA is part of a US strategy of “friendshoring”. It argues that India should, instead, build up its own manufacturing prowess as the answer to the IRA, because “companies know all too well that there are never permanent friends”. Mint added that “for all the noises being made about the rise of a new global order in which geopolitics will dictate supply chains”, it was difficult to imagine any significant realignments beyond “minor adjustments that make commercial sense and reduce the risk of zero-Covid type disruptive policies to corporate profits”. It continued: “Which government – how long can even the US go on spending billions on subsidies and tax credits – in today’s world of precariously high public debt levels is in a position to compensate companies for staying away from the cheapest sources of inputs and technology and falling in line with choices dictated by geopolitical calculations?” Avantika Goswami, programme manager for climate change at thinktank CSE, described the law as “a belated effort by the US to meaningfully invest in decarbonisation, albeit at a scale far below its fair share”. However, she added that “it’s not the worst thing to have the biggest climate perpetrator pursue green industrial policy”. Goswami tells Carbon Brief: “The US has allocated billions in tax breaks for domestic companies and consumers, which is a reversal in its decades-long stance on free trade. It has sparred with India at the WTO on subsidies in the past, for domestic solar manufacturing, for example. “Global south countries such as India should then be allowed to do the same and grow their own domestic green industries and collectively negotiate for more equitable trade terms. “While the US has indicated that India is a part of its ‘friendshoring’ efforts, it is too early to tell how our export revenues or market share will be affected as a result of greater onshoring.” Others believe that the IRA has opened up a “new and interesting space” for domestic political and policy conversations, with a range of risks and caveats. The Centre for Policy Research’s Prof Navroz Dubash, for instance, sees the IRA as a shift in policy emphasis towards a “transition framing” of the climate problem. It is a framing he thinks could bring about a low-carbon transition through means that include “technology development and deployment, rather than one driven largely by market actors reacting to market signals, albeit supplemented by a carbon price”. The former, he tells Carbon Brief, sees a “steering and picking winners role for the state”, while the latter implies “a price-and-disappear’ role for the state”. Dubash adds: “The demonstration effect of the IRA on other countries is likely to be considerable, and, I think, positive. It is now respectable again to think of green developmental states. From a practical perspective, the scale of the US and its domination in the innovation ecosystem means that there are likely to be a stream of positive global externalities through technology spillovers.” The risks that include trade conflicts, however, are not small and the conditions under which such “green developmental states” can work are limited, he warns: “They need to have enough of a fiscal war chest to deploy, they need information to support the private sector, yet not being so much in bed with them so as to be captured. “Only a few countries can be leaders in new technologies and not everyone can be a winner; it may be particularly hard for poorer and smaller nations. The arrangements of states working with industry for green transformation may also concentrate the gains of that transformation. Green crony capitalism is a real risk.” What does the US make of the global response? The US has issued strong statements defending the measures outlined in the IRA, while also seeking to reassure and offer concessions to countries through bilateral meetings. Back in November, former US vice president Al Gore defended the IRA as a “truly historic accomplishment” in the fight against climate change and challenged the EU “to match what the US has done” rather than “fight” it, Politico reported. In December, Biden held a bilateral meeting with Macron, where he said he made “no apologies” to Europe for the IRA, but acknowledged there were “glitches” that he saw as fixable. He told the French president: “But the essence of it is: we’re going to make sure that the US continues – and just as I hope Europe will be able to continue – not to have to rely on anybody else’s supply chain. “So, there’s tweaks that we can make that can fundamentally make it easier for European countries to participate and/or be on their own. But that is something that is a matter to be worked out. “There is no fundamental – it was never intended, when I wrote the legislation – I never intended to exclude folks who were cooperating with us. That was not the intention.”

Budget 2023: ₹35,000 crore outlay for growth in green energy transition

Union Budget 2022-23 highlights the government’s focus on energy transition, which is expected to fuel “green growth” in the country in the coming years. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman listed “green growth” among four opportunities that can be transformative for India in the run up to 2047, the country’s 100th year of independence. The other three are: economic empowerment of women, integrating traditional artisans with the MSME sector, and tourism. “We are implementing many programmes for green fuel, green energy, green farming, green mobility, green buildings, and green equipment, and policies for efficient use of energy across various economic sectors. These green growth efforts help in reducing carbon intensity of the economy and provides for large-scale green job opportunities,” Sitharaman said while introducing the Budget. The Budget provides ₹35,000 crore for priority capital investments towards net zero transition and energy security by the ministry of petroleum and natural gas, Sitharaman announced. India formally updated its nationally determined contribution (NDC) to fight climate change, confirming to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change last August that it will reduce the emissions intensity of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 45% from 2005 levels by the year 2030, and source about 50% of its energy requirement from non-fossil fuel-based sources the same deadline. India also underlined that its NDC would help achieve the long-term goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2070. The budget also promised to support through viability gap funding, battery energy storage systems with capacity of 4,000 MWH and formulate a detailed framework for so-called pumped storage projects (those that facilitate storage of hydroelectric power). The main policy to facilitate energy transition however will be the Green Hydrogen Mission which was approved by the Centre on January 4, 2023. The mission, with a target of 5 MMT of green hydrogen production a year by 2030, has an outlay of ₹19,700 crores and “will facilitate transition of the economy to low carbon intensity, reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports, and make the country assume technology and market leadership in this sunrise sector,” Sitharaman said. The budget has also announced the creation of an interstate transmission system for evacuation and grid integration of 13 GW renewable energy from Ladakh with an investment of ₹20,700 crore of which ₹8,300 crore will be provided by the Centre. “The budget will lead to significant job creation through the green economy. Support to various sectors like green hydrogen, bio-manure, offgrid solar and storage among others will create economic opportunities for entrepreneurs and job seekers. Interestingly, the budget has specifically allocated a significant amount for evacuation and grid integration infrastructure for harnessing the renewable energy potential for Ladakh. We can expect this to spur the economic development of this region ,” said Vaibhav Chaturvedi, Fellow, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). For the ₹35,000 crore to result in meaningful energy transition, for which $30 billion of energy finance is required every year, three measures are a must, explained Ulka Kelkar, economist and director of the climate programme at World Resources Institute India: ”Risk guarantees to reduce the cost of capital for low-carbon investments in the country; demand aggregation measures as has been done for LED lighting and electric buses; and viability gap financing for hydrogen electrolysers and offshore wind as has been announced for battery storage.” “I think the budget shows that there is realisation that we must act now. The intent was there but there is more detailing now. We have started putting flesh on the structure. Green Hydrogen is critical but I am also very excited about the bio CNG work and natural farming. The push for natural farming will also make us climate resilient. The convergence of MGNREGS and other funds for mangrove plantation is very interesting. This budget is better than the previous ones,” said Sunita Narain, director general, Centre for Science and Environment. The budget also said a Green Credit Programme will be notified under the Environment (Protection) Act. “This will incentivise environmentally sustainable and responsive actions by companies, individuals and local bodies, and help mobilise additional resources for such activities,” Sitharaman announced.

This startup is using the power of social media to get school students to work on sustainability efforts

The Covid-19 pandemic significantly increased the screen time of school children across the world, thanks to online learning. Even after things started going back to normal, students have been glued to their tablets and smartphones. This got Prateek Kumar and Ankit Kapoor, Co-founders of GoSharperener, to use this addiction in a constructive manner and have a positive impact on children, especially those between the ages of 10 and 17 years. “Parents and guardians are extremely uncomfortable and want to have constructive social platforms for their children,” says Prateek. This led the duo to conceptualise a student-only network that constructively uses digital time spent by students (10-17 years). They launched Go Sharpener, a school student network for youngsters, who believe they can solve real-world problems with their efforts. The platform was launched in Beta mode in 2021 in New Delhi, and was officially launched in February 2022. It currently has 69,000 registered users from 90+ cities in India. Delhi-based Go Sharpener’s mission is to harness the power of school students as drivers of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), says Prateek. As of now, over 14,000 school students are working on sustainability efforts such as community engagement drives, cleaning drives, etc. through the Go Sharpener network. The number of sustainable impact actions by school students is over 30,000. The number of sustainable impact actions by school students is over 30,000. Building the platform The key challenge for setting up the Go Sharpener platform was the formulation of an ecosystem which solves problems in a way that school students like and a format that is acceptable to parents and schools. Hence, Go Sharpener School Student Network is designed specifically for users <18yrs to ensure safety, security, and moderation. It is linked to SDGs to ensure constructive student engagement, wherein they win rewards for their actions, thereby gamifying the entire experience. Their actions also enable them to build a student impact profile. The startup has a team of nine, including the founders. The founders have been friends from school. Prateek is Ex-Gartner, FIS, and Nucleus Software; and Ankit is Ex EBSCO, Wolters Kluwer, and Pearson. Others in the core team include Anbu Saravanan, who is the CTO, and Dr Rumiko Kapoor and Anju Sharma are advisors. “We came in touch with GoSharpener in the month of January and realised that the concept they have bought in is a beautiful concept, learning beyond the books. They gave us the concept of how we can bring change in the society, and how can we sustain the society and the environment at large," says Mamta Nanda, Principal, Ryan International School, Rohini sector 25. "I think it is the children who can make this difference. It is a local concept, which has to be taken to a global concept, which we understand and realise. And giving points to the students and making them realise what they are is a beautiful concept. I think it is going to make a mark in children's life,” she adds. The workings The product works like a classic social network for school students up to the age of 18 years, with a key focus on safety, security, and moderation. Students learn about sustainable actions from peers and global organisations through the platform, and get to express their thoughts in fun ways like arts, reels, etc., take action across 25+ areas around Sustainable Development Goals, and report it in the form of videos and images. Based on the actions on the platform, a digital student impact profile is created, which then helps them in gathering points and redemption of rewards in the form of vouchers and internships. “Our flagship product--‘Impact Profile’ (The New Best Friend of School Report Card)--aims to transform students into superstars by translating every impactful action into points through a personalised digital report card,” says Prateek. The market for new social apps is growing. A 2019 report by Pew Research Center says 72% of adults in the US use some form of social media. There is also a growing base of social media apps focused on more intimate groups and audiences. Examples include audio-focused social platforms such as Clubhouse and Discord that have become popular in the past year or so. Apart from these, there are platforms like noo-gah! in the same segment. Speaking of how the platform differentiates itself, Prateek says, GoSharperner is currently the only network designed specifically for users <18years. It is focused on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and rewards students for their impact actions. “Access to the platform is open for all school students. However, features like events, conferences, and reward catalogues are available under premium membership,” says Prateek. The startup makes revenue through the subscription fee it collects from school students, which starts from Rs 100 per year and goes up to Rs 6,000 per year. “We are guided by subject matter expert organisations like PETA India, WaterAid India, and Centre for Science & Environment, which provide an exceptional experience for users,” says Prateek. The team raised an undisclosed angel funding in October 2022. “Our aim is to make Go Sharpener the largest school student network, focused at creating a sustainable world,” says Prateek.

India has made significant progress in many SDGs

India has made significant progress in many SDGs India has made significant progress in many Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the per capita income has increased to Rs 1.97 lakh. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Indian economy has increased in size from being 10th largest to fifth largest in the world in the last nine years. The efforts of the government since 2014 have ensured better quality of life for citizens of the country, Sitharaman added. According to the Centre for Science and Environment's 'State of India's Environment Report 2022', the country's overall SDG score was 66 out of 100.

India has made significant progress in many SDGs: Finance minister

India has made significant progress in many Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the per capita income has increased to Rs 1.97 lakh, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday. She also said the Indian economy has increased in size from being 10th largest to fifth largest in the world in the last nine years. The efforts of the government since 2014 have ensured better quality of life for citizens of the country, Sitharaman added. According to the Centre for Science and Environment's 'State of India's Environment Report 2022', the country's overall SDG score was 66 out of 100. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with its 17 SDGs and other components, was adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015, which provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. The 17 SDGs are an urgent call for action by all countries in a global partnership. Some of these goals are no poverty, zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, strengthening global partnerships for the goal, among others.

Budget 2023: Compliances Reduced, Legal Provisions Decriminalised For Ease Of Doing Business

According to the Centre for Science and Environment's 'State of India's Environment Report 2022', the country's overall SDG score was 66 out of 100. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting her fifth Union Budget for the fiscal year 2023– 24 announced that more than 39,000 compliances have been reduced while over 3,400 legal provisions have been decriminalised for enhancing the ease of doing business. “If MSMEs fail to execute the contract, 95 per cent of performance security will be returned to the small businesses as part of Vivad Se Vishwas,” said Sitharaman. The Finance Minister also proposed to use the PAN card as a common identifier for all digital systems at government agencies. The move is expected to simplify the KYC process and make it simple for the Income Tax Department and other government agencies to manage documents of the PAN cardholders. “For the business establishments required to have a permanent account number, the PAN will be used as a common identifier for all digital systems of specified government agencies,” said Sitharaman. The Budget for 2023-24 hopes to build on the foundation of the previous budget and a blue print for India at 100, said Sitharaman adding “The world has recognized India as a bright star, our growth for the current year is estimated at 7.0 per cent, this is the highest among all major economies. “India has made significant progress in many Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the per capita income has increased to Rs 1.97 lakhs. The Indian economy has increased in size from being the 10th largest to the fifth largest in the world in the last nine years,” said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. According to the Centre for Science and Environment’s ‘State of India’s Environment Report 2022’, the country’s overall SDG score was 66 out of 100. Roughly defined, “Ease of doing business ranks economies from 1 to 190, with first place being the best.”

India has made significant progress in many SDGs: Finance minister

'The efforts of the government since 2014 have ensured better quality of life for citizens of the country,' Sitharaman added India has made significant progress in many sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the per capita income has increased to Rs 1.97 lakh, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday. She also said that the Indian economy has increased in s... According to the Centre for Science and Environment's State of India's Environment Report, 2022, India's overall Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) score was 66 out of 100.

Per Capita Income Has Increased To ₹ 1.97 Lakh: Finance Minister

India has made significant progress in many Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the per capita income has increased to ₹ 1.97 lakh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today. She also said the Indian economy has increased in size from being 10th largest to fifth largest in the world in the last nine years. The efforts of the government since 2014 have ensured better quality of life for citizens of the country, Ms Sitharaman added. According to the Centre for Science and Environment's 'State of India's Environment Report 2022', the country's overall SDG score was 66 out of 100. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with its 17 SDGs and other components, was adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015, which provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet.

Air quality in Delhi showing gradual improvement, says Economic Survey

Air quality in Delhi has improved since 2016 with the total number of days in the good, satisfactory and moderate categories of the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) index increasing between 2016 and 2021, according the economic survey 2022-23 that was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday. “The number of good, satisfactory’ and moderate days increased to 197 in 2021 compared to 108 in 2016, and the number of poor, very poor and severe days decreased to 168 in 2021 against 246 in 2016, the survey said. The CPCB classifies air quality index (AQI) from 0-50 as good, between 51 and 100 as satisfactory, 101 and 200 as moderate, 201 and 300 as poor, 301 and 400 as very poor, and over 400 as severe. The survey attributed the improvement in air quality to interventions such as creating a dedicated body for the National Capital Region (NCR) like the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), banning diesel and petrol vehicles older than 15 and 10 years respectively in NCR, providing machines to agrarian states to reduce farm fires, shifting Industries to clean fuel and creation of expressways around Delhi. The Delhi government did not comment on the matter. The state government came up with a 15-point winter pollution plan in September 2022 which included controlling farm fires and garbage burning, banning firecrackers, setting up a green war room and curbing dust pollution, among others. Overall, the survey said, the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) data for Delhi shows that annual concentration of PM 2.5 reduced by 22% between 2016 and 2021, while the PM 10 concentration reduced by 27% during the same period. The economic survey also compared monthly air quality index (AQI) between 2017 and 2021, to show that nine months in 2021 had a lower AQI than corresponding months in 2017. “In 2021, nine months registered an improvement over 2017, with the maximum improvements seen in October (54%), May (50%) and September (48%). In 2021, average monthly air quality in Delhi declined in January (17%), February (15%) and March (1%) as compared to corresponding months in 2017, indicating an area of concern,” the survey said. Experts said while the trend is encouraging, Delhi still needs to plan interventions in order to reach close to the national standards for both PM 2.5 and PM 10. “This improvement gives a certain sense of optimism and shows that if you take action on multiple fronts, you will see a reduction in air pollution. We have been able to bend the pollution curve, and it is now coming down. However, much more aggressive action is required to ensure this curve keeps coming down,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The Economic Survey also said so far, since the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) came into force in 2019, 96 out of the 132 cities under it had shown a decreasing trend in PM 10 concentration, while 36 cities had shown an increasing trend till 2020-21. Professor SN Tripathi from IIT Kanpur, who is also part of the steering committee of NCAP, said considerable awareness has been created in Delhi-NCR and the non-attainment cities with regard to air pollution. This has been achieved with disbursal of funds being linked with performance targets, which will incentivise cities to reduce pollution further. “Grants are now performance based and will be distributed based on the targets met. For continued improvement in air quality across the country, the monitoring network should also be improved and that the funds spent on capacity building.”

Budget 2023 live | Allocation for census slashed

The Union Finance Minister has presented the Union Budget for Financial Year 2023-24, at a time when nine States will be going to polls this year and the Modi government will be seeking a third term next year. ndia has made significant progress in many SDGs: Finance Minister India has made significant progress in many Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the per capita income has increased to ₹1.97 lahks, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on February 1. She also said the Indian economy has increased in size from being the 10th largest to fifth largest in the world in the last nine years. According to the Center for Science and Environment’s ‘State of India’s Environment Report 2022’, the country’s overall SDG score was 66 out of 100.

Delhi Weather Update: With average minimum temperature at 6.6 degrees Celsius, the city suffered its coldest January in 10 years

The capital experienced its coldest January in the last 10 years, with the average minimum temperature dipping to the lowest since 2013, India Meteorological Department data reveals. The average minimum recorded this month at Safdarjung was 6.6 degrees Celsius, 0.9 degree below the month's normal, and the lowest since 6.1 degrees C was recorded in January 2013. By contrast, the average minimum in January last year was 8.2 degrees C. Track the pollution level in your cityThis January saw eight cold wave days -in two spells, January 5 to 9 and 16 to 18 - the highest in 15 years. For the first time in 17 years, the minimum at Safdarjung fell below 2 degrees C, the threshold for a "severe cold day", on two days. There were 10 days when the minimum was below 5 deg C. Not just colder, this Jan was more polluted than last year This January was not just the coldest in the city in 10 years, it was also more polluted than January last year, with three "severe" air days. Central Pollution Control Board data shows that the average air quality index (AQI) was 311 in January 2023 as against 279 last year, which saw just one "severe" day. Delhi_temperature However, this January was less polluted than 2021 when the average AQI was 324. Experts said unfavourable meteorological conditions such as prolonged dry weather, low temperatures and dense fog affected the air quality this year. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, "This January saw extreme cold conditions which led to trapping of pollutants. Unlike last year, Delhi didn't receive rain this time. The AQI is also impacted by the trend of local pollution. The report on source apportionment study which was released on Monday showed that combustion was one of the major sources of pollution." delhi_pollution Explaining the low minimum temperatures during the month, Kuldeep Srivastava, head of IMD's Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, said, "Since western disturbances in the first half mostly impacted the Himalayan region, there were clear skies in Delhi. The wind direction remained mostly north-westerly, which brought cold winds from the mountains towards the region, leading to a series of cold wave days." He added, "After some western disturbances impacted plains in the second half of the month, there was cloudiness and not much dip in minimum temperatures." Safdarjung, the city's base station, also saw one cold day on Sunday when rain lashed the capital. IMD declares a cold wave when the minimum temperature is four or more notches below normal or when it is less than 4 degrees Celsius. The average maximum temperature for January was 19.7 degrees Celsius, 0.4 degrees lower than the month's normal of 20.1 degrees. The city received rain on just one day on January 29, with Safdarjung recording 20.4mm.

Budget 2023: Experts expect a boost to decarbonisation, energy transition

Union Budget 2023 is expected to highlight India's ability to continue expanding its decarbonisation initiative despite concerns about energy security amid the war in Europe and the IMF's recession prediction. Whether it is the recently approved Green Hydrogen Mission, the push towards electric vehicles (EVs), or increasing investments in renewables, experts say India’s energy transition is gathering pace. India is committed to achieving a series of announcements made globally, such as reaching 500 Gw (gigawatt) non-fossil energy capacity by 2030, and 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030, among others. The experts expect the Union Budget 2023 to provide sufficient financial backing and strategies for the country’s commitments and ambitions in the following ways: Mainstreaming green growth by generation-based initiatives According to Binit Das, Deputy Programme Manager, Renewable Energy, Centre for Science and Environment, there is limited financing for renewable energy manufacturing in the country which the budget is expected to address. He asserted that the government's push towards mainstreaming green growth needs to be backed by generation-based initiatives including building an ecosystem. Das said, "Last year, solar rooftops saw limited growth due to a lack of impetus in the key green energy tech sector. High-interest rates in India make green power costlier, affecting overall commercial viability and cost parity with fossil fuel power. It is expected that the Budget 2023 will address these issues and enhance mainstreaming of green growth. The need for energy security has never been more urgent." Das said that from a policy standpoint, production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes are available for organisations that manufacture high-efficiency solar PV (Photovoltaic) modules but not for entities operating in wind or green hydrogen/ammonia sector. This is expected to be addressed in the budget. Clarity on taxes and subsidies Experts say India has a handful of organisations in the renewable energy sector. Therefore, the focus should be on robust policy, a stable tax regime, and fiscal incentives to attract investments in this space. Das said, "For developers, there is a lot of burden, which is currently the biggest challenge that the renewable energy sector faces in terms of solar and wind technology." Highlighting the need for tax incentives, Das said the current concessional tax regime of 15 per cent which is available to organisations commencing the generation of electricity or manufacture/production of any article or thing before March 31, 2024 should be extended to encourage organisations to invest in new energy. He emphasised that the Budget 2023 is expected to provide clarity on taxes and subsidies for the renewable energy sector. More funds for PLI Scheme to boost domestic solar manufacturing capacity "The government is giving generation-based incentives which refer to the incentives given to consumers for generating power using solar technology. For example, if you generate a few kilowatts from your rooftop, the Discom will give an incentive of some paise per kilowatt/hour. These incentives are important for encouraging people to adopt solar. The Delhi solar policy talks about this but we need PLIC schemes around solar generation for the nation as well," said Das. Jatinder Pal Singh, Founder of J.P. Consultants works on Solar Plants and Energy Savings highlighted that the budget is expected to announce initiatives for pushing solar in the domestic segment. He said, "PLI schemes currently have an allocation of Rs 19,500 cr for Solar Manufacturing needs to be provided with more funds as the domestic capacity of solar manufacturing needs to be enhanced a lot. With lesser domestic capacity, pricing is very unstable and projects are affected economically." Transmission system for integration of wind power Martand Shardul, Policy Director, Global Wind Energy Council India – GWEC India said, " We are expecting increased allocation and big announcements for the wind energy sector. It is because, earlier this month, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) notified its decision to organise an annual tender for 8 GW onshore wind projects across 8 windy states every year in this decade." He added that the government has set a target of harnessing 30 GW offshore wind capacity off the coast in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Apart from this, in November 2022, the government notified a draft sea-bed lease tender for offshore wind, and in July 2022, the MNRE released a 37 GW offshore wind tender trajectory. PLIs and demand aggregation exercise for green hydrogen Green hydrogen is more expensive than grey hydrogen which is derived from fossil fuels. Yet, it is important to spur green hydrogen generation and demand for it as it is environmentally friendly and a vital for the country's clean energy transition. The recent announcement by the government under the Hydrogen mission is a positive step in this direction and envisages India's ability to attract investments worth approximately $100 billion by 2030. It is expected that Budget 2023 will make some important announcements regarding PLIs and demand aggregation for the green hydrogen ecosystem.

दिल्ली में सर्दी का सितम जारी, पिछले 10 साल का रिकॉर्ड टूटा; जनवरी रहा सबसे ठंडा

दिल्ली में अभी बर्फीली हवाओं का असर रहेगा, जिससे दो से तीन दिन तापमान में कमी की वजह से कड़ाके की ठंड महसूस होगी.तीन फरवरी के बाद धीरे धीरे पार चढ़ेगा.आईएमडी के मुताबिक, 2 फरवरी को पश्चिमी विक्षोभ आने वाला है जिससे हिमालय में बारिश होगी और उत्तर-पश्चिम क्षेत्र में तापमान में कमी आ सकती है. सर्द मौसम अब विदाई लेने को तैयार है, मगर इस बार उत्तर भारत में सर्दी ने अपने कई पुराने रिकॉर्ड ध्वस्त किए. राजधानी दिल्ली की बात करें तो इस बार कई मर्तबा कश्मीर, शिमला से भी नीचे दिल्ली का पारा लुढ़का. दिल्ली ने इस सीजन में कड़ाके की ठंड झेली. भारत मौसम विज्ञान विभाग के आंकड़ों से पता चलता है कि राजधानी में पिछले 10 वर्षों में सबसे ज्यादा ठंडा जनवरी माह रहा. जनवरी में यहां औसत न्यूनतम तापमान 2013 के बाद से सबसे कम रहा. सफदरजंग में इस महीने औसत न्यूनतम तापमान 6.6 डिग्री सेल्सियस दर्ज किया गया, जो कि सामान्य से 0.9 डिग्री कम था. जनवरी 2013 में 6.1 डिग्री सेल्सियस सबसे कम तापमान दर्ज किया गया था. जबकि पिछले साल जनवरी में औसत न्यूनतम तापमान 8.2 डिग्री सेल्सियस था. जनवरी में 10 दिन 5 डिग्री से नीचे रहा पारा इस जनवरी में शीत लहर दो चरणों में 8 दिन रही. शीत लहर 5 से 9 जनवरी और 16 से 18 जनवरी तक देखी गई. जाे कि शीतलहर का पिछले 15 वर्षों में सबसे अधिक समय रहा. जनवरी में ऐसे 10 दिन थे जब न्यूनतम तापमान 5 डिग्री सेल्सियस से कम था. ये 10 दिन पिछले 10 सालों में सबसे सर्द दिन रहे. यही नहीं पिछले साल जनवरी की तुलना में यह 10 दिन राजधानी में सबसे अधिक प्रदूषित भी रहे. केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड के आंकड़ों के मुताबिक, जनवरी 2023 में औसत वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (AQI) पिछले साल 279 के मुकाबले 311 था, जो कि गंभीर श्रेणी में रहा. हालांकि, यह जनवरी 2021 की तुलना में कम प्रदूषित था. इस साल कड़ाके की ठंड के साथ बढ़ा प्रदूषण विशेषज्ञों ने कहा कि प्रतिकूल मौसम संबंधी स्थितियां जैसे लंबे समय तक शुष्क मौसम, कम तापमान और घने कोहरे ने इस साल हवा की गुणवत्ता को प्रभावित किया. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने कहा, “इस जनवरी में अत्यधिक ठंड की स्थिति देखी गई, जिससे प्रदूषण भी बढ़ा. पिछले साल के मुकाबले इस बार दिल्ली में बारिश नहीं हुई.