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Since air pollution knows no boundaries, the politics of finger-pointing and scoring brownie points will obstruct cooperation or meaningful action Every year around October 20, without fail, there is shock and alarm in my city, Delhi. This is when the air pollution peaks — and the pandemonium, name-calling and blame-games begins. We choke, we scream, and all hell breaks loose in television studios as anchors demand answers over the noxious haze and politicians find ways to shirk responsibility. Over the past few years, there have been two courses of action, or inaction. One, our city government has commissioned study after study so that the "real" sources of pollution are identified and action is taken. Second, it has insisted that the contribution to pollution is from "outside" — it belongs to another government — which is then promptly denied by this "other" government. And in this way, we keep going around in circles. The fact is — and I repeat myself — we know the sources of pollution, even though the exact contribution of each sector may change with different studies and in different seasons. These are combustion-related emissions from vehicles, factories, diesel generators, power plants and household cooking, and dust from roads, construction sites and others. Remember that dust is not a pollutant, it is toxic because it is coated with emissions from combustion. So, the first question that should be asked every winter — indeed every month before the winter sets in — is what steps have been taken to address these combustion-related emissions and what more needs to be done? The second question is about the boundaries of the airshed. There is no doubt that when farmers burn crop residue to clear fields for the next planting season, the winds on certain days carry the pollutants to Delhi and its surrounding areas. If this happens when the weather is adverse (local wind speed is slow or there is moisture in the air) pollution levels rise and the air becomes deadly. Today, as I write this column, I struggle to breathe. Then there are industries that were relocated from the city but are still using coal or other dirty sources of fuel. These industries, now in Delhi's neighbours, further add to the deadly pollution cocktail.
Developing countries, including India, are pushing rich countries to agree to a new global climate finance target. At the ongoing UN climate summit, India has asserted that developing countries require a “substantive enhancement” in climate finance from rich countries by 2024 as the previously-set goal of $100 billion per year by 2020 was minuscule given the scale of their needs, official said on Thursday. At COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009, developed countries had committed to jointly mobilise $100 billion per year by 2020 to help developing countries tackle the effects of climate change. Rich countries, however, have repeatedly failed in delivering this finance. Developing countries, including India, are pushing rich countries to agree to a new global climate finance target – also known as the new collective quantified goal on climate finance (NCQG) – which they say should be in trillions as the costs of addressing and adapting to climate change have grown. Rich countries say the issues of numbers are political and should be under political discussions and not part of technical discussions. At a high-level ministerial dialogue on NCQG at COP27 on Wednesday, India, on behalf of like-minded developing countries, highlighted that climate actions to meet the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) targets require financial, technological, and capacity-building support from developed countries, people aware of the developments said. Citing the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), India said rich countries are the major contributors to the carbon stock in the atmosphere, clearly underlying the importance of the core principles of the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement – equity and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC). CBDR-RC acknowledges the different capabilities and differing responsibilities of individual countries in addressing climate change. “As such, the provisions and principles of the convention and its Paris Agreement should guide the discussions and outcomes of the NCQG to ensure an equitable result that enables climate action in developing countries,” it said. “The ambitious goal set down by the developing countries requires substantive enhancement in climate finance from the floor of $100 billion per year. The mobilisation of the resources needs to be led by the developed countries and should be long-term, concessional, and climate-specific with equitable allocation between adaptation and mitigation projects,” India said. “The commitment of $100 billion made in 2009 by developed countries was not only minuscule given the scale of needs, but has also not been achieved yet,” it said. According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental body consisting of wealthy nations, developed countries mobilised $52.5 billion in 2013. After dropping to $44.6 billion in 2015, the finance flow has steadily increased. In 2020, the developed countries raised $83.3 billion, a jump from $80.4 billion in 2019, according to a fact sheet published by the Centre for Science and Environment. The Standing Committee on Finance has estimated that resources in the range of $6 trillion to $11 trillion are required till 2030 to meet the targets set by developing countries in their NDCs and other communications, including the Needs Determination Reports. NDCs are national plans to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius. “Clearly, the need for climate finance is immense even when estimates have not completely captured the identified needs, especially that for adaptation,” India said. According to sources, preliminary discussions on NCQG began on a contentious note. The developed and developing countries have locked horns on finance and who should pay for mitigation and adaptation. At this year’s conference, being held in the Egyptian seaside resort of Sharm el-Sheikh from November 6 to 18, developed countries are expected to push developing nations to further intensify their climate plans. On the other hand, developing countries would seek commitment from rich countries to provide finance and technology needed to address climate change and resulting disasters. India highlighted that access to finance at the market rate for climate action will lead to considerable stress on the finances of developing countries. “Going ahead, if ambitious climate targets have to be achieved, these need to be backed by intentions reflected by ambitious, appropriate, and reasonable access to financial resources by developing countries. “The NCQG needs to deliver on each of these grounds and thereby, enable effective action by developing countries,” it said. India stressed that it is imperative that technical expert dialogues concentrate on the quantum and quality of resource mobilisation. “While the private sector may play a complementary role, the commitment is on the developed countries to lead in mobilisation from various sources. The extent of public resources that the developed countries bring in will play a critical role in determining the climate flows. So, it is discouraging to see the focus on private finance alone,” it said. India said while the previous technical expert dialogues on the NCQG under the Ad Hoc Work Programme have presented an opportunity for the exchange of ideas, a more structured and targeted approach needs to be adopted to enable the successful fulfilment of the mandate ahead of 2024. It said discussions within the technical expert dialogues in 2023 should focus mainly on the quantum, recognising the urgency of such discussions for developing countries. India said a discussion on quality and other elements such as access and transparency is incredibly important. A structure must be put in place moving forward to ensure decisions on all these elements can be taken by 2024. Coming into COP27, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav had told the media that India expects action from rich countries in terms of climate finance, technology transfer and strengthening the capacity of the poor and developing countries to combat climate change. India also seeks clarity on the definition of climate finance — the absence of which allows developed countries to greenwash their finances and pass off loans as climate-related aid.
Dr. Rachna Kucheria, a general physician and a public health expert (MD-MDH) said the reductions in the AQI numbers were not helpful as they are still above the desirable level Delhi ranks third among the top 20 most polluted cities across the world, according to IQAir’s 2022 list, a Swiss air quality technology company, specialising in protection against airborne pollutants. Vehicular emissions contribute 51 per cent and construction about 7 per cent to air pollution, according to a study published in the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The reports further state that waste burning and road dust contribute nearly 5 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively. Apart from that, local sources, such as cow dung cake combustion, cause 32.9 per cent of the pollution in the national capital. Speaking to NDTV-Banega Swasth India team about the current status of Delhi’s air pollution, Dr. Rachna Kucheria, a general physician and a public health expert (MD-MDH) said the reductions in the Air Quality Index (AQI) numbers were not helpful as they are still above the desirable level. She said, In technical terms, most of us are looking at the AQI numbers, every day we are tracking them. Some days ago, the AQI was nearly 500, which later came down to 300–340 in a few days. But it is still above the desirable level; it is still a level where people are getting sick acutely. The pollution levels are more dangerous for people with underlying chronic respiratory issues. She further said that the doctors have seen a rise in the number of patients in the hospitals due to the air pollution. Young adults and people without medical histories are also being severely affected, she added. Young people in their late 20s are reporting upper respiratory issues, coughing, wheezing, etc. My colleagues who work in the emergency setting of hospitals are seeing a higher number of patients with heart problems. So, things like heart attacks, clotting of the veins, hardening of arteries, and effects on pregnant women are being observed, Dr. Kucheria said. In terms of future interventions, Dr. Kucheria stated that the solutions to rising levels of pollution did not rely on doctors, but on policymakers and other concerned officials. She emphasised the need for policymakers to become proactive in tackling the air pollution menace and also advised certain measures people can follow to avoid contracting any respiratory issues. All we as doctors can do is treat patients, basically react to the issue, and not prevent it. That is the work of policymakers, they need to step in. Dr. Kucheria detailed a couple of steps individuals can adhere to, to protect themselves in the coming days: People habitually walking can ignore going through the smoky haze. But if need be, one must prefer the afternoon timings, between 1pm-2pm, as it is warmer, and due to the environmental factors People who have been prescribed medications must take them diligently. People must be up-to-date with their adult vaccines, such as the flu shot. Using a mask is essential, and an N95 is the most useful. Limit the movement and try working from home to avoid as much contact with the pollution as possible
As world leaders congregate at Sharm-el-Sheikh for COP27, citizens of India’s capital city are coping with a real-time problem — air pollution. Year after year, at the onset of winter, Delhi and adjoining areas are shrouded in a thick blanket of smog leaving the citizens literally breathless. What usually follows is a hackneyed exchange of barbs between the Centre and State governments on this thorny issue. On Friday, when Delhi’s air pollution level was in the “severe” category, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal remarked that pollution is not just Delhi’s problem but impacts the entire Northern India region. Admitting that stubble burning in Punjab is the State government’s responsibility, where AAP is in power, he stressed the need for collective efforts. The Centre on Sunday retorted with statistics pointing out that Punjab and Rajasthan are not doing enough to check on stubble burning, while Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have reported a progressive decline in such instances. According to businessLine’s report, factors such as better demand for paddy residues have enabled farmers in Haryana to better manage costs associated with removal of crop residues. As stubble burning instances vary on a day-to-day basis, experts believe it will be critical to analyse the data at the end of the month to really understand which State has done better or worse. Vehicles’ role in aggravating Delhi’s air pollution crisis also needs to be looked at. According to an analysis done by the Centre for Science and Environment , vehicular emissions were found to be top polluters in Delhi during the Diwali week (October 21-26). While the problem of air-pollution is complex and requires a slew of long-term and short-term measures from the authorities, it’s time citizens too take a more active interest in pushing for a solution for this issue.
Aiming to increase awareness among citizens about how seemingly small measures can go a long way in tackling the city’s air pollution, Delhi Police has taken the help of social media to urge people to turn off their engines at traffic signals. “We also started printing advertisements in newspapers to make people aware about switching off the engine at a red light, which usually lasts longer than 30 seconds. The city is battling pollution and small steps from commuters can reduce vehicle emissions and help improve air quality. Our social media team is running the campaign with the hashtags #EngineOffHawaSaaf and #DilliMaangePure,” said a senior police official. On Thursday, Delhi Traffic Police took to Twitter, using dialogues from Bollywood films like Gangs of Wasseypur and Hera Pheri to draw the attention of commuters. In one of the posts shared on social media, traffic police said pollution from vehicles can be reduced by 15-20% if commuters switch off their engines at signals. And not just emissions, this can also reduce fuel consumption and save money, it said. The awareness drive comes in the backdrop of a row over AAP’s ‘Red Light On, Gaadi Off’ campaign, which was postponed after the LG returned the file and asked the Kejriwal-led Delhi government to reconsider it.\ depe Experts TOI spoke to said if all commuters switch off their engines, it would have an impact on the pollution levels. Dr S Velmurugan, chief scientist, traffic engineering and safety division, Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), said the move would “If a red light is more than 25-30 seconds, it is advisable for commuters to switch off their engines to reduce emissions and increase fuel efficiency. Some people who don’t maintain their cars hesitate from doing this as they fear the vehicle will not start if they switch the ignition off. However, making people aware about it can definitely improve the situation,” said Velmurugan. In 2015 and 2019, CRRI had carried out studies that revealed that it not just improves fuel efficiency, but also reduces emissions. Shambhavi Shukla, programme manager, air pollution team, Centre for Science and Environment, echoed his views. “People need to be made aware about the ‘engine off’ campaign so that it can be practised on ground. Agencies responsible should ideally look at arterial roads and junctions where the traffic signal is more than 30 seconds or at least a minute and start raising awareness,” said Shukla.
भारत ने संयुक्त राष्ट्र जलवायु शिखर सम्मेलन सीओपी 27 में जोर दिया कि विकासशील देशों को अपने महत्वाकांक्षी लक्ष्यों को पूरा करने के लिए प्रति वर्ष 100 अरब डॉलर के स्तर से जलवायु वित्त में पर्याप्त वृद्धि और अमीर देशों को संसाधनों को इकट्ठा करने के लिए नेतृत्व करने की जरूरत है। वर्ष 2009 में कोपेनहेगन में सीओपी 15 में, विकसित देशों ने जलवायु परिवर्तन के प्रभावों से निपटने में विकासशील देशों की मदद करने के लिए संयुक्त रूप से 2020 तक प्रति वर्ष 100 अरब डॉलर जुटाने की प्रतिबद्धता जताई थी। हालांकि, अमीर देश इस वित्तीय सहायता को मुहैया कराने में बार-बार विफल रहे हैं। भारत सहित विकासशील देश, अमीर देशों को एक नए वैश्विक जलवायु वित्त लक्ष्य को लेकर सहमत होने के लिए प्रेरित कर रहे हैं जिसे जलवायु वित्त पर नए सामूहिक मात्रात्मक लक्ष्य (एनसीक्यूजी) के रूप में भी जाना जाता है। विकासशील देशों का कहना है कि जलवायु परिवर्तन के अनुकूल कदम के लिए लागत में बढ़ोतरी के मद्देनजर रकम बढ़नी चाहिए। सूत्रों ने बताया कि बुधवार को सीओपी 27 में एनसीक्यूजी पर उच्च-स्तरीय मंत्रिस्तरीय संवाद में भारत ने इस बात पर प्रकाश डाला कि राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर निर्धारित योगदान (एनडीसी) लक्ष्यों को पूरा करने के लिए विकसित देशों से वित्तीय, तकनीकी और क्षमता-निर्माण सहयोग की आवश्यकता है। भारतीय प्रतिनिधिमंडल ने बैठक में कहा, ‘‘विकासशील देशों द्वारा निर्धारित महत्वाकांक्षी लक्ष्य के लिए प्रति वर्ष 100 अरब डॉलर के न्यूनतम स्तर से जलवायु वित्त में पर्याप्त वृद्धि की आवश्यकता है। संसाधन जुटाने के लिए विकसित देशों के नेतृत्व की आवश्यकता है और अनुकूलन तथा विभिन्न परियोजनाओं के बीच समान आवंटन के साथ दीर्घकालिक, रियायती और जलवायु-विशिष्ट कदम उठाए जाने चाहिए।’’ प्रतिनिधिमंडल ने कहा था, ‘‘विकसित देशों द्वारा 2009 में जताई गई 100 अरब डॉलर की प्रतिबद्धता न केवल जरूरतों के पैमाने पर दी गई थी, बल्कि अभी तक हासिल नहीं की गई है।’’ अमीर देशों के एक अंतर सरकारी निकाय आर्थिक सहयोग और विकास संगठन (ओईसीडी) के आंकड़ों के अनुसार विकसित देशों ने 2013 में 52.5 अरब डॉलर जुटाए। ‘सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट’ द्वारा प्रकाशित ‘फैक्टशीट’ के अनुसार कोष वर्ष 2015 में 44.6 अरब डॉलर तक घटने के बाद, वित्त प्रवाह में लगातार वृद्धि हुई है। वर्ष 2020 में, विकसित देशों ने 83.3 अरब डॉलर जुटाए, जो 2019 में 80.4 अरब डॉलर से अधिक है। वित्त पर स्थायी समिति ने अनुमान लगाया है कि एनडीसी और आवश्यकताओं के निर्धारण रिपोर्ट सहित निर्धारित लक्ष्यों को पूरा करने के लिए 2030 तक छह ट्रिलियन से 11 ट्रिलियन डॉलर तक संसाधनों की आवश्यकता है। एनडीसी वैश्विक तापमान वृद्धि को दो डिग्री सेल्सियस से नीचे, मुख्य रूप से 1.5 डिग्री सेल्सियस तक सीमित करने की राष्ट्रीय योजना है। भारतीय प्रतिनिधिमंडल ने कहा, ‘‘स्पष्ट रूप से, जलवायु वित्त की आवश्यकता तब भी बहुत अधिक है, जब अनुमानों के मुताबिक खासकर अनुकूलन के लिए पूरी तरह से चिह्नित जरूरतों को भी पूरा नहीं किया गया है।’’ मिस्र के शर्म अल-शेख में छह से 18 नवंबर तक आयोजित होने वाले इस वर्ष के सम्मेलन में विकसित देशों से विकासशील देशों को अपनी जलवायु योजनाओं को और तेज करने के लिए प्रेरित करने की उम्मीद है। दूसरी ओर, विकासशील देश जलवायु परिवर्तन और परिणामी आपदाओं से निपटने के लिए आवश्यक वित्त और प्रौद्योगिकी के प्रति प्रतिबद्धता चाहते हैं। भारत ने जोर दिया है कि तकनीकी विशेषज्ञ स्तरीय संवाद संसाधन जुटाने की मात्रा और गुणवत्ता पर ध्यान केंद्रित हो। भारत जलवायु वित्त की परिभाषा पर भी स्पष्टता चाहता है। केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्री भूपेंद्र यादव ने मीडिया से कहा था कि भारत जलवायु परिवर्तन से निपटने के लिए जलवायु वित्त, प्रौद्योगिकी हस्तांतरण और गरीब तथा विकासशील देशों की क्षमता को मजबूत करने के मामले में अमीर देशों से कार्रवाई की उम्मीद करता है। उन्होंने कहा था, ‘‘भारत का मानना है कि ‘क्रियान्वयन के लिए एक साथ’ थीम आधारित सीओपी 27 को जलवायु वित्त, प्रौद्योगिकी हस्तांतरण और क्षमता निर्माण के मामले में कदम उठाने वाला सम्मेलन होना चाहिए। दुनिया कई तरह की समस्याओं का सामना कर रही है। कार्रवाई में देरी नहीं की जा सकती है। इसलिए ठोस समाधान सामने आने चाहिए और सीओपी 27 के साथ कदम उठाने की शुरुआत होनी चाहिए।’’ भाषा आशीष माधव
Nearly every day in the first nine months of this year, India recorded extreme weather events, including heat waves, cold waves, cyclones, lightning, heavy rainfall, floods and landslides. The Center for Science and Environment (CSE), the country's premier public interest research and advocacy organization, said the localized climate disasters, on 241 of 273 days till October 1, had claimed at least 2,755 lives, while affecting some 1.8 million hectares of crop area, killing more than 69,000 livestock, and destroying 416,667 houses. India hopes for good news from COP27 The report, which highlights that India is suffering more than most, comes as global leaders convene for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), currently being held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. "This is the watermark of climate change. It is not about a single event but about the increased frequency of the events, that what we saw as the one in 100 years extreme event has now been compressed to become one in five years or even less," CSE's Director General Sunita Narain told DW. India also suffered an income loss of US$159 billion (€158.6 billion), almost 5.4% of its gross domestic product, owing to extreme heat in 2021, according to the Climate Transparency Report (CTR) 2022, compiled by an international partnership of organizations. According to the CTR, last year heat exposure in India led to the loss of 167 billion potential labor hours, a 39% increase in comparison with the last ten years of the 20th century. At COP27 India is expected to push for ensuring energy for a developing country and protecting its workforce employed in fossil-fuel related industries as it moves to renewable sources of energy, climate finance for adaptation, mitigation and financial assistance for climate change-induced loss and damage. India 'losing up to 5% of its GDP due to climate change' "The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events will further increase with increasing global temperatures," Chandra Bhushan, founder-CEO of International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology, told DW. "India is already losing 3-5% of its GDP due to climate change and this number could rise to as much as 10% if the warming is not limited to below 2 degrees Celsius." "While a lot is being done to improve early warning systems and provide for rescue and relief, India will need to invest more in adaptation and resilience. It will require global support in managing climatic impacts," adds Chandra Bhushan. About 80% of India's population live in regions highly vulnerable to extreme disasters like severe flooding or heat waves. Despite India's sophisticated early warning systems for floods and cyclones, end-to-end connectivity needs to be improved and be more robust. Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, maintains that the short-term and long-term losses due to the extreme weather this year are yet to be absorbed. "As more data surfaces, we see that climate change is accelerating at a fast pace, throwing off extreme weather events, one after the other. This is faster than what we thought earlier," Koll told DW. "South Asia has become the poster child of climate change and the region is witnessing a clear trend in rising heatwaves, floods, landslides, droughts, and cyclones. This is affecting the food, water, and energy security of the region," he added. Domestically, India has set its own ambitious climate pledges, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and a net-zero goal, also known as carbon neutrality, referring to all carbon emissions either being eliminated or absorbed and not released into the environment. At last year's COP26, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to have this achieved in the country by 2070. Climate finance and transition However, it needs external financial help for its people to adapt to the effects of global warming and to mitigate losses. India wants the $100 billion-a-year pledge — a climate funds promise for developing nations made at COP15 in 2009 — to be fulfilled, even though it is already two years past its deadline. In December, India will begin its one-year-long tenure as head of the Group of 20 (G20). Climate finance in particular remains a major issue of contention within the G20. "Developed countries should fulfill their targets and obligations towards climate finance, which they have failed to do," said Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav during an interaction with reporters ahead of the COP27 summit. He is leading an 18-member Indian delegation at the UN's climate change conference. Earlier this year, India pledged to reduce its emissions intensity 45 % by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. The country also vowed to achieve around 50% cumulative electric power — installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources — by the end of this decade. This is contingent upon the transfer of technology and low-cost international finance, including from the UN's Green Climate Fund — a foundation set up to financially assist developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change. In addition, the Indian government is pushing Mission Life, which refers to adopting a sustainable lifestyle, to position the country as going beyond policy-making as it advocates for individual and community-level change. "2022 has been a testament to some harsher and grimmer climate extremes across the globe and India is no exception. The frequency and intensity of these extremes are going to breach all thresholds in future," Abinash Mohanty, a former director at the Center for Environment, Energy and Climate Change, told DW. Mohanty argues that India should ensure that regional and north-south cooperation within the country is fostered to withstand the climate shocks through climate-ready systemic, technological, and financial solutions that are backed by science-based evidence, hence providing access to climate information for all.
At COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009, developed countries had committed to jointly mobilise USD 100 billion per year by 2020 to help developing countries tackle the effects of climate change. Rich countries, however, have repeatedly failed in delivering this finance Developing countries require substantive enhancement in climate finance from the floor of USD 100 billion per year to meet their ambitious goals and rich countries need to lead the mobilisation of resources, India has stressed at the ongoing UN climate summit COP27. At COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009, developed countries had committed to jointly mobilise USD 100 billion per year by 2020 to help developing countries tackle the effects of climate change. Rich countries, however, have repeatedly failed in delivering this finance. Developing countries, including India, are pushing rich countries to agree to a new global climate finance target -- also known as the new collective quantified goal on climate finance (NCQG) -- which they say should be in trillions as the costs of addressing and adapting to climate change have grown. At a high-level ministerial dialogue on NCQG at COP27 on Wednesday, India highlighted that climate actions to meet the NDC targets require financial, technological, and capacity-building support from developed countries, people aware of the developments said. "The ambitious goal set down by the developing countries requires substantive enhancement in climate finance from the floor of USD 100 billion per year. The mobilisation of the resource needs to be led by the developed countries and should be long-term, concessional, and climate-specific with equitable allocation between adaptation and mitigation projects," the Indian delegation said during the meeting. "The commitment of USD 100 billion made in 2009 by developed countries, was not only miniscule given the scale of needs, but has also not been achieved yet," it said. According to data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental body consisting of wealthy nations, developed countries mobilised USD 52.5 billion in 2013. After dropping to USD 44.6 billion in 2015, the finance flow has steadily increased. In 2020, the developed countries raised USD 83.3 billion, a jump from USD 80.4 billion in 2019, according to a factsheet published by the Centre for Science and Environment. The Standing Committee on Finance has estimated that resources in the range of USD 6 trillion to USD 11 trillion are required till 2030 to meet the targets set by developing countries in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and other communications including the Needs Determination Reports. NDCs are national plans to limit global temperature rise to well below two degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius. "Clearly, the need for climate finance is immense even when estimates have not completely captured the identified needs, especially that for adaptation," the Indian side said. At this year's conference being held in the Egyptian seaside resort of Sharm el-Sheikh from November 6 to 18, developed countries are expected to push developing nations to further intensify their climate plans. On the other hand, the developing countries would seek commitment to finance and technology needed to address climate change and resulting disasters.
At COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009, developed countries committed to raising USD 100 billion per year by 2020 to assist developing countries in dealing with the effects of climate change To meet their ambitious goals, developing countries require substantial increases in climate finance starting at USD 100 billion per year and wealthy countries must lead the mobilisation of resources, India said at the ongoing UN climate summit COP27. At COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009, developed countries committed to raising USD 100 billion per year by 2020 to assist developing countries in dealing with the effects of climate change. Rich countries, on the other hand, have repeatedly failed to deliver this financing. Developing countries, including India, are pressuring rich countries to agree to a new global climate finance target, also known as the new collective quantified goal on climate finance (NCQG), which they claim should be in the trillions of dollars given the rising costs of addressing and adapting to climate change. According to people familiar with the developments, India highlighted at a high-level ministerial dialogue on NCQG at COP27 on Wednesday that climate actions to meet the NDC targets require financial, technological and capacity-building support from developed countries. “The ambitious goal set by developing countries necessitates a significant increase in climate finance beyond the baseline of USD 100 billion per year. The developed countries must lead the resource mobilisation, which must be long-term, concessional and climate-specific, with an equitable allocation of resources between adaptation and mitigation projects,” during the meeting, the Indian delegation said. “The commitment of USD 100 billion made by developed countries in 2009 was not only minuscule in comparison to the scale of needs but has also yet to be fulfilled,” it said. According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental organisation comprised of wealthy nations, developed countries mobilised USD 52.5 billion in 2013. After falling to USD 44.6 billion in 2015, the finance flow has increased steadily. According to a factsheet published by the Centre for Science and Environment, developed countries raised USD 83.3 billion in 2020, up from USD 80.4 billion in 2019. According to the Standing Committee on Finance, resources from USD 6 trillion to USD 11 trillion are required until 2030 to meet the targets set by developing countries in their NDCs and other communications, including the Needs Determination Reports. Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are national plans to keep global temperature rise well below two degrees Celsius, preferably 1.5 degrees Celsius. The Indian delegation also said that the need for climate finance is enormous, even if estimates have not fully captured the identified needs, particularly those for adaptation. This year's conference, held in the Egyptian seaside resort of Sharm el-Sheikh from 6 to 18 November, is expected to press developing countries to strengthen their climate plans. On the other hand, developing countries would seek financial and technological commitments to address climate change and the resulting disasters.
At COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009, developed countries had committed to jointly mobilise $100 billion per year by 2020 to help developing countries tackle the effects of climate change Developing countries require substantive enhancement in climate finance from the floor of $100 billion per year to meet their ambitious goals and rich countries need to lead the mobilisation of resources, India has stressed at the ongoing UN climate summit COP27. At COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009, developed countries had committed to jointly mobilise $100 billion per year by 2020 to help developing countries tackle the effects of climate change. Rich countries, however, have repeatedly failed in delivering this finance. Developing countries, including India, are pushing rich countries to agree to a new global climate finance target—also known as the new collective quantified goal on climate finance (NCQG)—which they say should be in trillions as the costs of addressing and adapting to climate change have grown. At a high-level ministerial dialogue on NCQG at COP27 on Wednesday, India highlighted that climate actions to meet the NDC targets require financial, technological, and capacity-building support from developed countries, people aware of the developments said. "The ambitious goal set down by the developing countries requires substantive enhancement in climate finance from the floor of $100 billion per year. The mobilisation of the resource needs to be led by the developed countries and should be long-term, concessional, and climate-specific with equitable allocation between adaptation and mitigation projects," the Indian delegation said during the meeting. "The commitment of $100 billion made in 2009 by developed countries, was not only miniscule given the scale of needs, but has also not been achieved yet," it said. According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental body consisting of wealthy nations, developed countries mobilised $52.5 billion in 2013. After dropping to $44.6 billion in 2015, the finance flow has steadily increased. In 2020, the developed countries raised $83.3 billion, a jump from $80.4 billion in 2019, according to a factsheet published by the Centre for Science and Environment.
"Joe Biden's delivering results," White House national climate adviser Ali Zaidi says. But developing nations ask: Where's the money? President Joe Biden is landing in Egypt on Friday to take a victory lap on climate change and unveil a raft of new actions to an international audience — but he’s facing continued grumbling about U.S. stinginess and the impending reality of weakened political power at home. The White House hopes people at the U.N. climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh will focus on Biden’s accomplishments, including signing the United States’ biggest-ever climate bill and reversing the outright fossil-fuel cheerleading of the Trump era. He is also announcing a doubling of U.S. contributions to a global climate-adaptation fund, to $100 million, as well as new regulatory efforts to reduce planet-warming methane pollution by U.S. oil and gas companies. His visit on Friday rides the wave of Democrats’ surprising success in Tuesday’s midterm elections, an outcome that left many U.S. allies relieved. But Republicans are still expected to take control of the House, and possibly the Senate, once the vote-counting is done. That could stop Biden from delivering what delegates and activists at the COP27 conference most demand: hundreds of billions of dollars in compensation to lower-income nations facing catastrophe because of the industrialized world’s role in warming the globe. Other potential mood spoilers for Biden’s appearance include food and water shortages that have left conference attendees cranky, human rights and privacy violations by the Egyptian government, and fresh scientific evidence that all this climate diplomacy is failing to prevent catastrophic rises in temperatures. Biden’s achievements in reversing years of U.S. climate paralysis are still worth celebrating, administration officials attending the conference said — adding that the president also plans to urge other nations to redouble their efforts to slash their greenhouse gas output. “There were a lot of folks, you guys included, looking at us and saying, ‘Could he deliver on the legislative initiatives that he had put forward?’” White House national climate adviser Ali Zaidi told POLITICO. “He’ll speak to his values. He’ll speak to his optimism. He’ll speak to the fact that the decisive decade is about delivery. And Joe Biden’s delivering results.” Underscoring those words, the White House used Biden’s visit on Friday to announce the release of a major Environmental Protection Agency rulemaking aimed at reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. Biden has made cutting methane, a potent greenhouse gas, part of his international efforts to combat near-term warming. EPA estimated that the proposal, expected to be completed next year, would reduce the industry’s emissions by 87 percent from 2005 levels by the end of the decade. Biden’s pledge of $100 million to the climate adaptation fund — double what the U.S. promised at last year’s climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland — came alongside a pledge of $150 million to speed up Africa’s preparations for the effects of climate change. Even some longtime skeptics of the U.S. acknowledge Biden has led an about-face for a nation that for years served as a key obstacle to global climate progress. “I have seen it always as a country that has undermined the global rules for climate change and has shirked responsibility,” said Sunita Narain, a prominent Indian environmentalist and self-proclaimed U.S. critic. Yet she acknowledged that “what President Biden did last year was tremendous. He did walk the talk.” Even with the new pledges, though, the U.S. faces complaints that it still isn’t doing remotely enough given the size of its economy and the fact that it has contributed more to climate change than any other country. Delegates at the summit from lower-income countries expect more finance from the U.S. to help their nations prevent and adjust to climate change. A proposal by White House climate envoy John Kerry to drum up private climate financing for developing nations fell flat with a number of delegates this week, including German officials. “Money is going to talk the loudest” with countries in need, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) acknowledged during a call with reporters. “We have to be their partners, not just part of the problem.” Biden’s claims to global climate leadership also depend on getting negotiations back on track with China, the world’s top current producer of greenhouse gas pollution. He will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday at the G20 meeting in Bali, Indonesia, with climate watchers hoping a thaw might also smooth discussions between the two rival countries back in Sharm El-Sheikh.
India has stated that developing nations need a “substantive enhancement” in climate finance from wealthy nations by 2024 as the prior goal of USD 100 billion per year by 2020 was insignificant given the scope of their needs, according to official sources on Thursday. This statement was made at the ongoing UN climate summit. However, wealthy nations have frequently failed to provide this financing. Developed nations made a united commitment to mobilise USD 100 billion annually by 2020 at the COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009 to assist developing nations in addressing the impacts of climate change. As the costs of combating and adapting to climate change have increased, developing countries, notably India, are pressuring wealthy countries to accept a new global climate finance objective, also known as the new collective quantified goal on climate financing (NCQG). According to those with knowledge of the developments, India highlighted at a high-level ministerial dialogue on NCQG on Wednesday at COP27 that developed countries must provide financial, technological, and capacity-building support for climate actions to meet the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) targets. Rich nations claim that mathematical issues are political in nature and should not be discussed in technical contexts. India cited the IPCC’s research and claimed that wealthy nations are the main contributors to the atmospheric carbon stock, underscoring the significance of the UNFCCC’s and the Paris Agreement’s guiding principles of equity, common but differentiated responsibilities, and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC). The CBDR-RC recognises that each nation has varying resources and obligations when it comes to combating climate change. Accordingly, the NCQG debates and conclusions “should be guided by the terms and principles of the convention and its Paris Agreement to provide an equitable result that supports climate action in developing countries,” it stated. “The ambitious target established by the poor countries calls for a significant increase in climate finance from a floor of USD 100 billion per year. The meeting heard from the Indian delegation that the developed nations must take the lead in resource mobilization, which must be long-term, generous, and climate-specific with an equitable distribution between projects for adaptation and mitigation. Given the scope of the needs, the commitment of USD 100 billion made in 2009 by developed countries was deemed to be “minuscule” and “has not yet been achieved.” Developed countries mobilised USD 52.5 billion in 2013, according to data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental organisation made up of wealthy nations. After falling to USD 44.6 billion in 2015, the flow of financing has been rising consistently ever since. According to a data sheet released by the Centre for Science and Environment, the developed countries raised USD 83.3 billion in 2020, an increase from USD 80.4 billion in 2019. To achieve the goals established by developing nations in their NDCs and other communications, such as the Needs Determination Reports, resources between USD 6 trillion and USD 11 trillion are expected to be needed until 2030, according to the Standing Committee on Finance. The goal of NDCs is to keep the increase in global temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius, ideally to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Even if estimates have not fully taken into account the identified demands, especially those for adaptation, the Indian side stated that there is a “clearly a huge need for climate funding.” Sources claim the initial NCQG negotiations got off to a rocky start. The financial issue of who should foot the bill for mitigation and adaptation has caused conflict between developed and developing nations. News Summary: India demands a new global climate funding target by 2024, claiming the previous goal of USD 100 billion year is insufficient
The story so far: Last week, Delhi was once again covered in a cascading haze of smog— witnessing very poor air quality, sticking to the trend that has existed during winter months for some years now. The last stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was activated and then revoked, primary schools closed, and the debate about the “main culprit” for the polluted air was rekindled. As the situation becomes an annually recurring one, here’s a look at how far back it goes and what policies have been adopted by the Centre and Delhi’s elected governments over the years. Delhi’s long history with air pollution Flourish logoA Flourish chart While civil society and media attention for Delhi’s air pollution problem and high PM2.5 concentrations peaked in the last decade, with annual episodes of pollution induced smog setting over the Capital in winter months, air pollution has been on the rise since the 1990s. In March 1995, the Supreme Court, while hearing a plea by environmentalist and lawyer M.C. Mehta about Delhi’s polluting industries, noted that Delhi was the world’s fourth most polluted city in terms of concentration of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the ambient atmosphere as per the World Health Organisation’s 1989 report. The Court took note of two polluting factors— vehicles and industries, and in 1996 ordered the closure and relocation of over 1,300 highly-polluting industries from Delhi’s residential areas beyond the National Capital Region (NCR) in a phased manner. Multiple brick kilns were also directed to be relocated outside city limits. ALSO READ Delhi’s PM2.5 levels worst in the world In 1996, Mr. Mehta filed another public interest litigation alleging that vehicular emissions were leading to air pollution and posed a public health hazard. In the same year, a report about Delhi’s air pollution by the Centre for Science and Environment made the apex court take suo motu action, issuing a notice to the Delhi government to submit an action plan to curb pollution. Both matters were later merged. Later that year, the Delhi government submitted an action plan. The Supreme Court, recognising the need for technical assistance and advice in decision-making and implementation of its orders, asked the Ministry of Environment and Forests (now the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change- MoEFCC) to establish an authority for Delhi, leading to the creation of the Environmental Pollution Control Authority of Delhi NCR (EPCA) in 1998. The EPCA submitted its report containing a two-year action plan in June of that year and the Supreme Court subsequently ordered the conversion of the whole Delhi Trasport Corporation (DTC) bus fleet, taxis, and autos to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), and the phasing out of all pre-1990 autos. Other measures between the late 1990s and early 2000s included the complete removal of leaded petrol, removal of 15 and 17-year-old commercial vehicles and a cap of 55,000 on the number of two-stroke engine auto rickshaws (which reports at the time said were contributing to 80% of pollution in the city). Coal-based power plants within Delhi were also later converted to gas-based ones. Around this time, the Centre also decided to revamp its monitoring programme and establish a network of monitoring stations under the National Air Quality Programme (NAMP) to measure key pollutants. Under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) specified by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), pollutants like PM10 (particulate matter with a diameter exceeding 10 microns), sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides were measured. Revision of air quality standards The National Ambient Air Quality Standards were revised in 2009 to include 12 categories of pollutants including PM2.5 (diameter under 2.5 microns)— a noxious pollutant which can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream, resulting in cardiovascular and respiratory impacts, and potentially also affecting other organs. Particulate Matter (PM) is primarily generated by fuel combustion in different sectors, including transport, energy, households, industry and agriculture. Also read: Data | Which major Indian cities exceed WHO’s revised pollution limits? All India and Delhi PM2.5 levels over 23 years based on computer modelling by UrbanEmissions.Info All India and Delhi PM2.5 levels over 23 years based on computer modelling by UrbanEmissions.Info According to the revised NAAQS, the acceptable annual limit for PM2.5 is 40 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m 3) and 60 µg/m 3 for PM10. The renewed WHO standards meanwhile, prescribe an accepted annual average of 5 µg/m 3 for PM2.5 and 15 µg/m 3 for PM10. Delhi’s PM2.5 concentration over the years and rank among all Indian States/UTs. Source: UrbanEmissions.Info Delhi’s PM2.5 concentration over the years and rank among all Indian States/UTs. Source: UrbanEmissions.Info While PM2.5 was only included in the Indian standards in 2009, a computer modelling study by UrbanEmissions.Info (an independent three-day forecasting system and information repository on air pollution) reanalysed the pan-India PM2.5 concentration from 1998 to 2020 and found that Delhi was the most polluted in all States/UTs each year through all the 23 years. Delhi’s annual PM2.5 levels increased by 40% from 80 g/m 3 to 111 g/m 3. Another study by the US-based Health Effects Institute released this year studied data between 2010 and 2019, finding Delhi to be the most polluted city in the world in terms of PM2.5 levels, reporting an average annual exposure (relative to population) of 110 µg/m3. In January and April 2016, the Delhi government tested the odd-even vehicular rationing rule in two fortnightly windows. In the winter of 2016, Delhi witnessed one of its worst incidents of pollution-induced smog, with PM2.5 and PM10 levels reaching a whopping 999 µg/m 3 in parts of Delhi on November 1, and PM2.5 later dropping to a still very high 750 µg/m 3 from November 8, both several times over acceptable limits. In November 2016, the Supreme Court told Delhi and NCR authorities to form a plan to deal with air pollution and subsequently the MoEFCC in early 2017 came out with the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which involved coordination between multiple agencies in Delhi to activate reactive pollution control measures corresponding to increasing Air Quality Index (AQI) levels. What changed in Delhi? Multiple studies over the years, including the Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s (DPCC) 2019 report by IIT Delhi and Madras experts, found that the rapid growth in Delhi’s population, industrialisation and urbanisation, and increase in the motorised private vehicle fleet have resulted in the increased concentration of pollutants such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone. Between 2001 and 2011, Delhi saw a population spurt from 1.378 crore to 1.678 crore. As of 2011, the population of Delhi and NCR was 25.8 million or 7.6% of India’s urban population. While Delhi’s total area is 1,483 square kilometres (km 2), the population density grew from 9,340 persons per km 2 in 2001 to 11,320 persons per km 2 in 2011. From around 4.2 million motor vehicles registered in 2004 in Delhi alone, the registered vehicles increased to around 10.9 million in March 2018. While multiple polluting industries were moved out of Delhi in the 1990s, it still has one of the biggest clusters of small-scale industries. The CPCB notes that several of Delhi’s polluting industrial clusters do not meet air, water, and soil standards. The Najafgarh drain basin, which houses multiple industrial areas, is the most polluted cluster in India with its air and water being in the ‘critical’ category. Over 3,100 industries are located across NCR. Major polluters and measures taken to tackle them Flourish logoA Flourish chart There have been various studies attributing percentages to each source contributing to Delhi’s PM2.5 levels—vehicular emissions, industry, road dust, construction, burning of waste, stubble burning, biomass burning for cooking, diesel generators, residential emissions and power plants. UrbanEmissions.Info combined officially available information and its modelling studies to infer that the share of vehicular exhaust to Delhi’s ambient PM2.5 pollution is up to 30%, soil and road dust is up to 20%, biomass burning 20%, industries up to 15%, diesel generators up to 10%, power plants up to 5% and notably, the share of pollution from outside Delhi’s urban airshed (like stubble burning in neighbouring States) is up to 30%. ALSO READ Addressing north India’s burning issue sustainably Multiple researchers have noted that the policy approach and measures taken by Central and State authorities for specific polluting sectors over the years have been fragmented and often reactive. IIT-Bombay professor Vinish Kathuria noted in the Economic and Political Weekly that the 2002 public transport overhaul to CNG did not yield the desired results. While SPM and PM10 levels fell only marginally, carbon monoxide levels increased. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court’s 55,000 cap on two-stroke auto rickshaws in 1997 was not revised till 2011. During this time, four-stroke engines were introduced and conversion to CNG was ordered. However, since the cap on the number of autos was in place, this sector could not grow, leading to black marketing of permits. Studies note that between 1997 and 2011, Delhi’s population grew by 45% and registered cars and two-wheelers grew by 250%, meaning the lower availability of autos could have likely contributed to increased private vehicle ownership. Besides, Delhi still does not have the required public bus fleet vis-a-vis demand. Researchers have also noted challenges with newer policies like the odd-even rule applying to private vehicles. A study by IIT Delhi’s Rahul Goel noted that although vehicular emissions contribute 25% to Delhi’s PM2.5 levels, passenger vehicles contribute just 8%, of which cars constitute 5%. This means that if all passenger vehicles within Delhi stopped operating, PM2.5 levels would reduce by an average of 8%, but the remaining 17% is contributed by heavy freight vehicles which are not covered under the odd-even rule. Experts also point out that a coordinated response factoring in Delhi’s waste management has to be taken to reduce air pollution. While the daily waste generation rate in Delhi is over 10,000 tons, the capacity of its already overflowing landfills to collect and manage garbage is under 6,000 tons. This leads to the practice of burning waste around residential areas. Reports show that garage is also burnt illegally in landfills when curbs are in place. ALSO READ Paddy pellet scheme does not consider production costs, say entrepreneurs One argument for the failure to tackle Delhi’s pollution problems is that a large proportion of these polluting sources are present all year round and high pollution levels are witnessed in winter months due to unfavourable meteorological conditions, meaning stop-gap and seasonal measures often yield unsatisfactory outcomes. As for the burning of farm residue or stubble in Delhi’s neighbouring States— Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan— researchers have emphasised the need for airshed management, along with improved machinery subsidies from the government and alternatives to crop burning. An airshed is a common geographic area where pollutants get trapped. Delhi falls in the Indo-Gangetic airshed, which, in Indian territory, includes Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Bihar and West Bengal. As per a 2019 study, about half of Delhi’s PM2.5 weightage comes from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. An airshed management approach would require coordinated responses from States.
At COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009, developed countries had committed to jointly mobilise USD 100 billion per year by 2020 to help developing countries tackle the effects of climate change. Developing countries require substantive enhancement in climate finance from the floor of USD 100 billion per year to meet their ambitious goals and rich countries need to lead the mobilisation of resources, India has stressed at the ongoing UN climate summit COP27. At COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009, developed countries had committed to jointly mobilise USD 100 billion per year by 2020 to help developing countries tackle the effects of climate change. Rich countries, however, have repeatedly failed in delivering this finance. Developing countries, including India, are pushing rich countries to agree to a new global climate finance target -- also known as the new collective quantified goal on climate finance (NCQG) -- which they say should be in trillions as the costs of addressing and adapting to climate change have grown. At a high-level ministerial dialogue on NCQG at COP27 on Wednesday, India highlighted that climate actions to meet the NDC targets require financial, technological, and capacity-building support from developed countries, people aware of the developments said. "The ambitious goal set down by the developing countries requires substantive enhancement in climate finance from the floor of USD 100 billion per year. The mobilisation of the resource needs to be led by the developed countries and should be long-term, concessional, and climate-specific with equitable allocation between adaptation and mitigation projects," the Indian delegation said during the meeting. "The commitment of USD 100 billion made in 2009 by developed countries, was not only miniscule given the scale of needs, but has also not been achieved yet," it said. According to data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental body consisting of wealthy nations, developed countries mobilised USD 52.5 billion in 2013. After dropping to USD 44.6 billion in 2015, the finance flow has steadily increased. In 2020, the developed countries raised USD 83.3 billion, a jump from USD 80.4 billion in 2019, according to a factsheet published by the Centre for Science and Environment. The Standing Committee on Finance has estimated that resources in the range of USD 6 trillion to USD 11 trillion are required till 2030 to meet the targets set by developing countries in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and other communications including the Needs Determination Reports. NDCs are national plans to limit global temperature rise to well below two degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius. "Clearly, the need for climate finance is immense even when estimates have not completely captured the identified needs, especially that for adaptation," the Indian side said. At this year's conference being held in the Egyptian seaside resort of Sharm el-Sheikh from November 6 to 18, developed countries are expected to push developing nations to further intensify their climate plans. On the other hand, the developing countries would seek commitment to finance and technology needed to address climate change and resulting disasters.
भूकंप के झटकों ने मंगलवार मध्य रात्रि दिल्ली-एनसीआर को झकझोर दिया। झटका इतना तेज था कि लोग घरों से बाहर निकल आए। द्वारका, रोहिणी, साउथ दिल्ली समेत दूसरे इलाकों की कई बहुमंजिला इमारतों के फ्लैट से बाहर आने के लिए अफरातफरी का माहौल भी रहा। 6.3 तीव्रता के भूकंप का केंद्र नेपाल होने से दिल्ली-एनसीआर में किसी तरह के जान-मााल का नुकसान नहीं हुआ। उधर, विशेषज्ञ बताते हैं कि दिल्ली-एनसीआर सिस्मिक जोन-4 में है। भूकंप के लिहाज से यह संवेदनशील है। यहां छह-सात तीव्रता तक के भूकंप आने की आशंका बनी रहती है। ऐसा होने की सूरत में बड़े पैमाने पर नुकसान होगा। दिल्ली में करीब 50 लाख इमारतें हैं। इसमें आलीशान बहुमंजिला इमारतें भी हैं और दिल्ली देहात के मकान भी। अनधिकृत कॉलोनियों में बड़ी संख्या में चार-पांच मंजिला मकान बने हैं। अलग-अलग समय में डीडीए, एमसीडी, आपदा प्रबंधन विभाग समेत दूसरी सरकारी एजेंसियों ने इमारतों का सर्वे किया है। इसमें भूकंपीय क्षेत्र-4 को ध्यान में रखकर इमारतों की सुरक्षा की जांच की गई है। 80 फीसदी इमारतें तेज भूकंप के लिहाज से सुरक्षित नहीं डीडीए के टाउन प्लानर रहे एके जैन बताते हैं कि सभी एजेंसियों के आंकड़ों पर गौर करने से पता चलता है कि मोटे तौर पर 80 फीसदी इमारतें जोन-4 के झटके को सहने में सक्षम नहीं हैं। अगर भूकंप का केंद्र दिल्ली-एनीआर हुआ और तीव्रता भी ज्यादा रही तो दिल्ली की हालत 2001 के गुजरात के भूकंप सरीखी हो सकती है। भुज भी जोन-4 में ही आता है। यह बड़ी आपदा होगी, जिससे होने तबाही का अंदाजा लगाना मुमकिन नहीं। सरकारों को इमारतों की सुरक्षा सुनिश्चित करने के लिए संजीदा कदम उठाने होंगे। सरकारी इमारतें भी सुरक्षित नहीं नाम उजागर न करने की शर्त पर राष्ट्रीय आपदा प्रबंधन विभाग के एक अधिकारी ने बताया कि दिल्ली सचिवालय, पीएचक्यू, जीटीबी अस्पताल, लुडलो कैसल स्कूल एवं मंडलायुक्त कार्यालय भवन पुराने भारतीय मानकों के आधार पर बने हुए हैं। सात तीव्रता के भूकंप की दशा में इन भवनों के ब्लॉक आपस में टकराएंगे। इससे बड़े पैमाने पर नुकसान हो सकता है। ऐसे में इमारतों को नए सिरे से मजबूत करने की जरूरत है। जरूरत के हिसाब से इमारतों की मरम्मत के साथ रेट्रोफिटिंग या ढांचागत बदलाव किया जा सकता है। अगर तीनों तरीकों से बात नहीं बनती तो उसे गिरा देना बेहतर होगा। खतरे की जद में दिल्ली-एनसीआर सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) में प्रोग्राम डायरेक्टर, सस्टेनेबल हैबिटेट प्रोग्राम रजनीश सरीन बताते हैं कि सिस्मिक जोन-4 में होने से एनसीआर निश्चित ही खतरे की जद में तो है ही, यहां निर्माण भी तेजी से हो रहा है। 30-35 मंजिला गगनचुंबी इमारतें बड़ी संख्या में बन रही हैं। सवाल यही है कि लिहाजा क्या ये फ्लैट भूकंप रोधी हैं? क्या इन फ्लैटों या इमारतों को भूकंप के दौरान नुकसान नहीं होगा और यहां रहने वाले लोग सुरक्षित होंगे? जवाब नकारात्मक ही मिलता है। एक मिनट के लिए मान लें कि सरकारी इमारतें ठीक हो सकती हैं, लेकिन बड़ी संख्या में अनधिकृत कॉलोनियों में इसका कोई खास ध्यान नहीं है। कई चीजों से मिलती इमारतों को मजबूती एके जैन व रजनीश सरीन बताते हैं कि हाई राइज इमारतों की सुरक्षा कई चीजों पर निर्भर करती है। मसलन, उस इमारत की फाउंडेशन बेहतर हो। स्लैब व बीम में इतनी जगह हो, जो झटके को सह सके। निर्माण में इस्तेमाल होने वाली सरिया आदि की लैब में जांच करवाई जाए। ऐसा न होने और नई या पुरानी इमारत के आसपास लंबे समय तक वाटर लॉगिंग की समस्या, मेंटेनेंस का अभाव, कई सालों तक इमारत पर पेंट न होना या सीमेंट का उखड़ते रहना, खराब माल का इस्तेमाल आदि भी इमारतों को कमजोर बनाता है। दिल्ली के हर इलाके में इस तरह की समस्या दिख जाती है। 2019 के हाईकोर्ट के आदेश का सही तरीके से नहीं हुआ पालन एके जैन का कहना है कि हाईकोर्ट में 2019 में आदेश दिया था कि 30 साल पुरानी इमारतों के बिल्डिंग प्लान तैयार करने के साथ उसकी ढांचागत ऑडिट भी करवाई जाए। एमसीडी ने इसका नोटिस भी जारी किया था। बावजूद इसके अभी तक कुछ खास नहीं हो सका है। वहीं, रजनीश सरीन का कहना है कि उस वक्त जो नोटिस आई थी, उसमें भौतिक सर्वे की ही बात थी। जबकि इनकी तकनीकी जांच होनी चाहिए। इमारत देखकर उसकी मजबूती का अंदाजा नहीं लगाया जा सकता। उसके लिए लैब में जांच करनी भी जरूरी है। दूसरी तरफ एमसीडी का कहना है कि इस मामले में अभी तक 4655 इमारतों की पहचान की गई। इसमें से 4463 को नोटिस दिया गया। 758 की ढांचागत ऑडिट कराई गई। 53 को गिराया गया और 16 इमारतों की रिट्रोफिटिंग की जा रही है। सरकारी नियमों का भी हो कायदे से पालन रजनीश कहते हैं कि नेपाल में आए भूकंप के बाद केंद्र सरकार की ओर से इमारतों या कंस्ट्रक्शन साइटों के रीसर्टिफिकेशन को लेकर नई गाइडलाइंस भी जारी की गई थीं। इनमें पुरानी बिल्डिंगों को स्ट्रक्चरल इंजीनियर्स से रीसर्टिफाई कराना अनिवार्य किया गया है लेकिन इसके लिए पैच टेस्ट करना होता है, जिसमें कंक्रीट का सैंपल लेकर उसे लैब में भेजा जाता है। वहीं, भवन निर्माण में जो सरिया का इस्तेमाल होता है, उसकी भी जांच कराई जानी जरूरी है लेकिन हो क्या रहा है? 2007-08 के बाद निर्माण कार्य अब कोरोना के बाद बहुत तेज गति से हो रहा है लेकिन उस गति से नियमों का पालन नहीं हो रहा। मेट्रो मजबूत, 7.5 तीव्रता का झटका भी लेगी झेल डीएमआरसी का कहना है कि मेट्रो निर्माण में ऐसे स्टैंडर्ड डिजाइन का इस्तेमाल किया गया है कि रिएक्टर स्केल पर 7.5 तीव्रता तक के भूंकप पर कोई नुकसान नहीं होगा। एक वरिष्ठ अधिकारी ने बताया कि दिल्ली में भूकंप आने पर जरूरत के हिसाब से ट्रेन ऑपरेशन को रोका या धीमा किया जाता है। इससे मेट्रो को चलाने में कोई अड़चन नहीं होगी। दिल्ली को बचाने के लिए तुरंत उठाने होंगे कदम -मकान की संरचनात्मक डिजाइन और निर्माण-तकनीक की सघन भौतिक व तकनीकी जांच। -भारतीय मानक ब्यूरो के मानकों पर सही न उतरने से कराएं सुदृढ़ीकरण। -जरूरत के हिसाब से मरम्मत, रेट्रोफिटिंग व ढांचागत बदलाव। -मकान की खरीद-फरोख्त के वक्त सबसे पहले सुरक्षा प्रमाण पत्र देखना जरूरी। -एक सक्षम एवं अनुभवी संरचना-इंजीनियर से भूकंप से सुरक्षा हेतु अपनी भवन की समीक्षा करवाएं। भूकंप के दौरान इन तरीकों को अपनाए -भूकंप के दौरान फर्श पर लेटकर किसी मजबूत डेस्क या मेज के नीचे चले जाएं। -मेज पर बनाए रखें मजबूत पकड़। -खुले स्थान पर जाने की करें कोशिश। -लिफ्ट या एस्कलेटर का प्रयोग न करें। -कंपन रुकने के बाद खुले स्थान तक पहुंचने के लिए सीढ़ी का इस्तेमाल करें। -यदि आप निकास द्वार से नजदीक नहीं हैं या किसी बहुमंजिला इमारत की ऊपरी मंजिल पर हैं, तो वहीं बने रहें। घबराएं नहीं, शांत रहें। -बिजली की लाइनों, खंभो, दीवारों, फाल्स सीलिंग, मुंडरे, गमलों तथा गिरने या ढहने की आशंका वाली अन्य वस्तुओं से दूर हो जाएं। -कांच फलक वाली इमारतों से दूर रहें। -वाहन चलाते समय सड़क के किनारे होकर रुक जाएं और गाड़ी से बाहर आ जाएं। -क्षतिग्रस्त हो गए पुल या फ्लाइओवर को पार करने की कोशिश न करें। देर रात के भूकंप से सहमी दिल्ली, लोगों ने साझा किए अपने अनुभव रात करीब दो बजे अचानक इमारत में हिली तो नींद खुल गई। पहले लगा कि सपना देखा है लेकिन जब कई लोग बाहर निकल आए तो पता चला कि भूकंप आया था। मैं भी डर के कारण बिल्डिंग से बाहर आया। नीचे वाले माले पर रह रहे परिवार के अन्य सदस्य भी जाग गए थे। इस भूकंप का केंद्र दूर था तो हल्की कंपन ही महसूस हुई सोचता हूं अगर कभी केंद्र दिल्ली या इसके आसपास हो तो स्थिति कितनी भयावह हो सकती है। -विशाल बिष्ट, रोहिणी सेक्टर 15 करीब दो बजे रात को जोरदार भूकंप का झटका लगा, पूरा बिस्तर हिल गया, डर के मारे मैं जोर से चिल्लाया, बाकी लोग भी जग गए, हम सब भागकर बाहर आए, काफी देर तक पास के पार्क में बैठे थे। कई और लोग यहां आ गए थे। -सौरभ, ककरौला द्वारका रात में 1.59 बजे रह रह कर भूकंप के दो झटके आए, हम जाग रहे थे, घर के बाकी लोग सो रहे थे, डर के मारे सबको जगा दिया, हम लोग चौथी मंजिल पर रहते हैं, कहीं दोबारा भूकंप न आए इस चक्कर में पूरा परिवार सुबह तक सो नहीं पाया। -अर्चना, मयूर विहार फेज-1 जिस समय भूकंप आया, उस समय मैं जगा हुआ था, मेरा पूरा बेड हिल गया, थोड़ी देर तक मैं समझ नहीं पाया क्या हो रहा है, लेकिन छत पर नजर पड़ी तो पंखा हिल रहा था, मैं परिवार समेत बाहर निकला तो बाहर भीड़ लगी हुई थी। -इरफान, गांवड़ी गांव, भजनपुरा