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India@75: या चळवळी व्यक्तिमत्त्वांमुळे जपली गेली भारताची हिरवाई! एकानं तर नाकारला होता पद्मश्री सन्मान

भारतीय स्वातंत्र्याचा अमृतमहोत्सव (India@75) सध्या सुरू आहे. आधी स्वातंत्र्यलढा, मग स्वातंत्र्य मिळाल्यावर देशाचं सार्वभौमत्व टिकवण्यासाठी, लोकशाहीनं देशाचा कारभार करण्यासाठी अनेक चळवळी, आदोलनं होत राहिली. देशहिताच्या गोष्टींमध्ये असलेलं पर्यावरणाचं स्थान हळूहळू सर्वांच्या लक्षात येऊ लागलं. त्यामुळे पर्यावरणाचं रक्षण, संवर्धन करण्यासाठी अनेक हात पुढे सरसावू लागले. त्यासाठीही चळवळी उभ्या राहिल्या. त्यात देशातल्या अनेकांनी सहभाग घेतला. देशाच्या स्वातंत्र्यदिनाचा अमृतमहोत्सव (Independence Day 2022) साजरा होत असताना या पर्यावरणवाद्यांचं योगदान समजून घ्यायला हवं. अठराव्या शतकापासून ते आजपर्यंत कोळसा आणि तेलाच्या प्रचंड वापरामुळे पृथ्वीचं तापमान जवळपास एक अंशाने वाढलं आहे. त्यामुळे जागतिक तापमानवाढ झाली. हवामानबदलाचा संपूर्ण सृष्टीला धोका निर्माण झाला आहे. पर्यावरणाचा सततचा ऱ्हास व नुकसान यामुळे जगापुढे अनेक आव्हानं निर्माण झाली व होत आहेत. एकविसाव्या शतकातला हा सर्वांत महत्त्वाचा प्रश्न आहे. त्यासाठी पर्यावरण रक्षणाची चळवळ उभी राहिली आहे. भारतात या चळवळीमध्ये सक्रियतेनं सहभागी असलेलं आघाडीचं नाव सुंदरलाल बहुगुणा यांचं आहे. सुंदरलाल बहुगुणा (Sunderlal Bahuguna) म्हटलं, की चिपको आंदोलन आठवतं. उत्तराखंडातल्या पर्यावरण चळवळीशी निगडीत हे महत्त्वाचं नाव आहे. हिमालयातल्या वनसंरक्षणासाठी सुंदरलाल बहुगुणा लढले. 1970 च्या दशकात चिपको आंदोलनाच्या (Chipko Movement) निमित्तानं ते पहिल्यांदा पर्यावरणाच्या चळवळीत आले. त्यानंतर 1980 पासून 2004 पर्यंत टिहरी धरण आंदोलनासाठी ते लढले. भारतातल्या आघाडीच्या पर्यावरण कार्यकर्त्यांमध्ये त्यांचा समावेश होतो. या आंदोलनांबरोबर हिमालयातल्या नागरिकांसाठी व देशातल्या नद्यांसाठी त्यांनी भरपूर काम केलं. डोंगराळ भागातल्या, विशेषतः महिलांच्या समस्या दूर करण्यासाठीही त्यांनी प्रयत्न केले. जातीयवादाविरुद्धच्या लढ्याबरोबरच इतर सामाजिक प्रश्नांसाठी ते लढले. महात्मा गांधींच्या प्रेरणेवरून त्यांनी हिमालयातल्या जंगलांमध्ये सुमारे 4700 किलोमीटरची पदयात्रा केली. भारत सरकारनं त्यांना पद्मश्री पुरस्कार दिला; मात्र त्यांनी पुरस्कार स्वीकारला नाही. भारतातल्या जल संवर्धनाच्या क्षेत्रात महत्त्वाचं योगदान असलेले राजेंद्रसिंह (Rajendra Singh) आज अनेकांना परिचित आहेत. त्यांना जलपुरुष ही ओळख यामुळेच मिळाली आहे. राजस्थानातलं अल्वर ही त्यांची कर्मभूमी. कोरड्या पडलेल्या नद्यांच्या पुनरुज्जीवनासाठी त्यांनी प्रयत्न केले. आज देशाच्या कानाकोपऱ्यात फिरून त्यांच्या कामाचा प्रसार ते करत आहेत. पाणी व्यवस्थापन व जलसंवर्धन याबाबत ते जनजागृतीचं मोठं काम करताहेत. सुनीता नारायण पर्यावरणाच्या क्षेत्रात सुनीता नारायण (Sunita Narayan) यांचं नाव आदरानं घेतलं जातं. सध्या त्या सेंटर फॉर सायन्स अँड एनव्हायर्न्मेंट या संस्थेच्या महासंचालक आहेत. तसंच ‘डाउन टू अर्थ’ या पाक्षिकाच्या संपादिका आहेत. पावसाचं पाणी साठवणं आणि सामुदायिक जल व्यवस्थापनासाठीचं (Water Managemant) धोरण तयार करण्यासाठी त्यांनी मोठं काम केलं आहे. पर्यावरणाविषयीच्या समस्या आणि समाजावर होणारे परिणाम याबाबत त्या अनेक दशकं काम करत आहेत. नागरिकांचं जीवनमान उंचावण्याच्या दृष्टीने पाणी, निसर्ग आणि पर्यावरणाविषयीच्या समस्या सोडवण्यासाठी त्या कार्यरत आहेत. पर्यावरण आणि मानवी जीवन यांचा मेळ साधून पर्यावरणाचं संवर्धन करता येऊ शकतं असं त्यांचं म्हणणं आहे. देशात वाघांचं अस्तित्व कमी होत असल्यामुळे व्याघ्रसंवर्धन (Tiger Conservation) मोहिमेसाठी त्यांनी काम केलं. तत्कालीन पंतप्रधानांच्या सूचनेवरून 2005 मध्ये टायगर टास्क फोर्सच्या त्या अध्यक्षा झाल्या. नक्षल चळवळ, सरकारी भ्रष्टाचार, वाघ व झाडांचं संवर्धन, तसंच इतर सामाजिक मुद्द्यांबाबत त्यांनी वेळोवेळी भूमिका मांडली आहे. 2005मध्ये त्यांना पद्मश्री पुरस्कारानं गौरवण्यात आलं. अनुपम मिश्रा गांधीवादी विचारांनी प्रेरित पत्रकार, लेखक, पर्यावरणवादी आणि जलरक्षण मोहिमेचे कार्यकर्ते म्हणून अनुपम मिश्रा (Anupam Mishra) यांची ओळख आहे. पर्यावरण रक्षणाबाबत जनजागृती करण्याचं महत्त्वाचं काम त्यांनी केलं. सरकारमध्ये पर्यावरणाच्या रक्षणासंदर्भात एकही विभाग नसताना या विषयाकडे सरकारचं लक्ष वेधून घेण्यासाठी त्यांनी प्रयत्न केले. राजस्थानातल्या दुष्काळी भागातल्या अल्वर या गावात त्यांनी केलेल्या जलसंवर्धनाच्या (Water Conservation) कामामुळे साऱ्या जगाचं लक्ष त्यांच्याकडे गेलं. पाणी वाचवण्याच्या पारंपरिक उपायांबाबत गावागावात फिरून त्यांनी जनजागृती केली. अल्वर गावात कोरड्या पडलेल्या अरवरी नदीच्या पुनरुज्जीवनात (Rejuvenation) त्यांचा महत्त्वाचा वाटा आहे. हे वाचा - ndia@75 : ब्रिटीशांची झोप उडवणाऱ्या ‘या’ 5 महिलांचं कार्य देश कधीच विसरू शकणार नाही उत्तराखंड व राजस्थानातील लापोडिया भागातल्या पाण्याच्या पारंपरिक स्रोतांचं पुनरुज्जीवन करण्यासाठी त्यांनी भरपूर काम केलं आहे. ‘आज भी खरे है तालाब’ आणि ‘रजत ड्रॉप्स ऑफ राजस्थान’ ही त्यांची पुस्तकं जलसंवर्धनाच्या क्षेत्रातली मैलाचा दगड मानली जातात. देशातल्या विविध भागांत राहणाऱ्या नागरिकांनी त्या ठिकाणच्या भौगोलिक रचना व उपलब्ध स्रोत व गरजांनुसार जलसंवर्धनाच्या विविध पद्धती कशा अंगीकारल्या आहेत याबाबत ते देशात व परदेशातही सांगत असतात. त्यांना ‘इंदिरा गांधी पर्यावरण पुरस्कार’ हा देशातला पर्यावरणाबाबतचा सर्वोच्च पुरस्कार देण्यात आला आहे. मरिमुथू योगनाथन मरिमुथू योगनाथन (Marimuthu Yoganathan) यांना ट्री मॅन म्हणून ओळखलं जातं. तसंच हरित योद्धा अशीही त्यांची ओळख आहे. तमिळनाडूच्या राज्य परिवहन मंडळात बस वाहक म्हणून त्यांनी काम केलंय. त्याशिवाय पर्यावरणाच्या चळवळीसाठीही काम करत आहेत. राज्यात 3 लाख रोपं लावण्याच्या त्यांच्या कामाची दखल टिंबरलँड या अमेरिकन फूटवेअर कंपनीनं घेतली. पर्यावरणाच्या संवर्धानाविषयी विद्यार्थ्यांमध्येही त्यांनी जागृती केली. त्यासाठी आजवर त्यांनी 3743 विद्यापीठांना, शाळांना, महाविद्यालयांना, तसंच उद्योगांना भेटी दिल्या आहेत. त्यांच्या “Uirwaza Oru Marn” या प्रकल्पासाठी त्यांना पुरस्कारही मिळाला आहे. विद्यार्थ्यांनी वाढदिवसाला एक रोप लावावं, असं या प्रकल्पात त्यांनी सांगितलं होतं. उपराष्ट्रपतींकडून त्यांना ‘इकोवॉरिअर’ हा पुरस्कार देऊन गोरवण्यात आलंय.

Director General Office

Water-wisdom for climate change

We need to scale up our work to invest in local water systems to capture every drop of rain so that we can build local resilience against drought This monsoon, when the precious rainwater goes down the drain, let us take a moment to recapitulate the knowledge of water management and what it means in a climate-risked world. There are two incontrovertible facts: One, water is a key determinant of health security and economic growth. Two, water wars are not inevitable but will happen if we do not manage our resource prudently. This requires us to get the policy and practice of water management right. The good news is water literacy has increased. Over the past decades, the country has learnt critical lessons on water management and evolved a new paradigm. Till the late 1980s, water management was largely confined to the issue of irrigation projects — building dams and canals to store and supply water over long distances. Then came the big droughts of the late 1980s. It became clear that it was not enough to plan for augmenting water supply through large projects. This was when the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) published its report: “Dying Wisdom”, which documented traditional technologies for rainwater harvesting in ecological diverse regions of India. The slogan was: Rain is decentralised, so is the demand for water. So, capture rain when and where it falls. There was a paradigm shift in policy. During the droughts of the late 1990s, states launched massive programmes to capture rainwater by building ponds, digging tanks, and setting up check-dams on streams. By the mid-2000s, these efforts coalesced into the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) — investing labour in building rural water assets. By this time, it was understood that groundwater, considered a “minor” resource, was the “major” supplier of water for both drinking and irrigation. It was understood that over 50 per cent of agriculture in the country was still rain-fed, and so water conservation and rainwater harvesting — ensuring that every well and waterbody was recharged — were critical for productivity and well-being. In the 2010s, the crisis of urban drought hit home. Policy evolved as it learnt that augmenting water supply was only part of the challenge — cities were becoming dependent on long-distance sources; pumping and piping this water meant losses in distribution and rising electricity costs, which made the available water expensive and its supply inequitable. As water supply dried up, people turned to groundwater, but without recharge — ponds and tanks had been decimated by real estate or simply through neglect — it only meant declining water levels. That was the decade when water supply was linked to pollution — more water supply meant more wastewater. This, without adequate treatment, leads to pollution of rivers and waterbodies, which in turn destroys available water and increases the cost of cleaning up drinking water. A few years later, research showed the bulk of the urban residents were not even connected to underground sewerage, which is capital- and resource-intensive. Instead, they depended on on-site sewage “disposal” systems, where household toilets were connected to septic tanks or just holding tanks or even to open drains in the vicinity. The sewage treatment infrastructure was not designed to fit the city sanitation system and so remained underutilised. Rivers remained polluted. In all this, new solutions emerged — if affordable water supply was critical, then cities needed to cut the length of distribution pipelines, which meant increased focus on local water systems like ponds, tanks, and rainwater-harvesting structures. Then, if cities needed to ensure affordable sanitation for all and affordable treatment of wastewater, on-site systems could be re-engineered so that waste was collected from each household, transported, and treated. But most importantly, we have learnt that if this urban-industrial wastewater is treated for reuse then water will not be lost; our rivers will not be lost. Moreover, we must minimise our use of water and become much more efficient with every drop. This means doing everything from investing in water-efficient irrigation and household appliances to changing diets to ensure that the crops we eat are water-prudent. This decade we can put all that we have learnt into practice to turn around the water story of India because in this decade we will see the revenge of nature as climate-change impacts grow. We need to scale up our work to invest in local water systems to capture every drop of rain so that we can build local resilience against drought. We also need to do this in our cities — the lakes and ponds are the sponges that will allow us to harvest the rain-flood and to make sure it does not turn into wasted water. Then we need to protect our forests and green spaces as this is how groundwater will get recharged. In times of water stress, we must make sure that wastewater — sewage — is not only treated but also recycled and reused. It is here that the waterbodies we protect in our cities — the same ponds and tanks that we use to divert and harvest rainwater — could be used to channelise the treated sewage and in turn recharge groundwater. Only this approach can make us water-secure.

Industrial Pollution

Tapping technology to check minor mineral plunder

India has grossly underestimated the issue of illegal mining, which damages the environment and causes revenue loss With the increase in the pace of development, the demand for minor minerals such as sand and gravel has crossed 60 million metric tons in India. This also makes it the second largest extractive industry on the planet, after water. However, while laws and monitoring have been made stringent for the mining of major minerals consequent to the unearthing of several related scams across the country, the fact is that rampant and illegal mining of minor minerals continues unabated. In many instances, one comes across gravel being removed from agricultural lands or fallow lands of the government near major highways or construction projects, as the contractor finds it easier and cheaper to do so even though the estimates for such work include the distance (called ‘lead’) to transport such gravel from authorised quarries.

Water Programme

POOR WATER AND SANITATION FACILITIES IN URBAN AREAS

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2521 TO BE ANSWERED ON AUGUST 08, 2022 POOR WATER AND SANITATION FACILITIES IN URBAN AREAS NO. 2521. MS. SUSHMITA DEV: Will the Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs be pleased to state: (a) whether a CSE study has shown that 97 per cent of Tinsukia ULB’s wastewater is disposed of untreated, if so, the measures Government is taking to ensure the treatment of wastewater in urban areas, especially slums; (b) whether a March 2021 CPCB audit has shown that there are no sewage treatment plants in Assam, if so, steps Government is taking to ensure that the State provides these treatment facilities; and (c) the steps Government is taking to ensure access to piped water in slum areas, including under schemes such as the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS (SHRI KAUSHAL KISHORE) (a): Sanitation is a State subject and function of its Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and it is the responsibility of State/ ULBs to plan, design, execute and operate sanitation projects in the urban areas of the country including slums. However, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs supplements the efforts of the States/ ULBs in providing infrastructure for basic services such as sewerage infrastructure including Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in urban areas through its various flagship Missions/ Schemes. The Government has launched Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) on 25 June, 2015 in 500 Mission cities. Networked underground sewerage systems, including augmentation of existing sewerage systems, augmentation, rehabilitation of existing STPs and construction of new STP are admissible components under the Mission. ...2/- -2- In addition, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) - 2.0 scheme, has been launched on 01 October, 2021 for the period of 05 years i.e. from the financial year 2021-22 to 2025-26. AMRUT 2.0 aims for universal coverage of sewerage & septage management in 500 AMRUT cities. The projects submitted by the State under the sewerage & septage sector, State Water Action Plans (SWAP) worth more than ₹11,136 crore have already been approved by the Ministry. To ensure treatment of wastewater in Tinsukia Urban Local Body (ULB) area Government of Assam has proposed one Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) cum Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) of capacity 3.0 Million Litres Per day (MLD) to cover parts of the town under Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0), this includes the measures to ensure the treatment of wastewater in urban areas including slums. (b): At present there are no sewage treatment plants in Assam. Although the Government of Assam has not taken up any STP/ Sewerage project under AMRUT & AMRUT 2.0,but several steps are being taken up by the Government of Assam to ensure provision of STPs in the State of Assam: (i) Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funded Guwahati Sewerage Project is envisaged to cover 1.10 lakhs households in Guwahati Metropolitan Area with combined capacity of 187 MLD. Preliminary works have already started in this regard and the project is expected to be completed by 2030. (ii) Assam Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Board is executing a 2.0 MLD capacity STP at Nagaon Town. Further, execution of STP cum FSTP for six towns of Assam viz. Mangaldoi, Tezpur, Jorhat, Bongaigaon, Dhubri and Tinsukia is proposed under SBM-U 2.0 & currently under submission to the Ministry. (iii) STP cum FSTP in AMRUT cities of Dibrugarh and Silchar are proposed to be taken up in 2nd Tranche under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 (AMRUT 2.0). (c): The main objective of AMRUT is to achieve universal coverage of household tap connections in all 500 Mission cities including slums. Of the approved plan size of ₹77,640 crore, ₹39,011 crore (~50%) has been allocated for water supply sector. So far, 1,337 projects have been grounded worth ₹42,695 crore including 887 completed projects worth ₹15,812 crore. Through these projects & in convergence with other programmes, 130 lakh household water tap connections have been provided so far. AMRUT 2.0 envisages to make all notified statutory towns & the cities of the country ‘water secure’ through circular economy of water focusing on universal coverage of functional water tap connections, water source conservation, rejuvenation of water bodies and wells, recycle/reuse of treated water, and rainwater harvesting. Total indicative outlay for AMRUT 2.0 is ₹2,77,000 crore including central share of ₹76,760 crore for five years from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26. So far, 1860 projects worth 32,354 crore have been approved for water & Rejuvenation of water bodies. Government of Assam have also taken the following steps to ensure access to piped water in urban areas including slums: (i) Three projects are currently underway in Guwahati for 24x7 water supply viz. JICA assisted south Central Guwahati water supply project, South-West Guwahati Water Supply Project under Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and South East Guwahati Water Supply Project under Assam Urban Infrastructure Investment Program (AUIIP). (ii) Projects for universal coverage of piped water supply are at various stages of implementation in three AMRUT cities viz. Dibrugarh, Nagaon and Silchar. Further, under AMRUT 2.0 in 1stTranche, 9 ULBs viz. Sibasagar, Jorhat, North Lakhimpur, Dhekiajuli, Tangla, Lakhipur (Cachar), Tezpur, Kokrakhar, Tinsukia are being taken up for piped water supply project. (iii) The schemes for other towns/ ULBs shall be under subsequent tranches of AMRUT 2.0. Further, projects under Assam Urban Water Supply & Sewerage Board (AUWS & SB) are being examined for extending universal coverage in the respective towns.

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Government says air pollution primarily urban phenomenon; experts disapprove

Of the 1,243 air quality monitoring stations covering 465 cities in the country, only 26 have been installed in rural areas — 24 in Punjab and two in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu on an experimental basis. Air pollution is primarily an urban phenomenon and the government is focussing on monitoring ambient air quality in urban areas, Parliament has been informed. Of the 1,243 air quality monitoring stations covering 465 cities in the country, only 26 have been installed in rural areas — 24 in Punjab and two in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu on an experimental basis. Explained | WHO’s air quality database and its latest update "Air pollution is primarily an urban phenomenon. Therefore, the government is focussing on monitoring ambient air quality in urban areas," Union Minister of State for Environment Ashwini Kumar Choubey told Rajya Sabha on Thursday. In addition, the government has sanctioned 17 monitoring stations in rural areas of Himachal Pradesh (5), Kerala (2), Mizoram (5), Odisha (2), Tripura (1) and Uttar Pradesh (2), the Minister said. However, experts say if the government doesn't monitor air pollution in rural areas, "it doesn't mean it doesn't exist". "Air pollution is a regional issue and all areas get affected. Industries, thermal power plants and brick kilns are set up near rural areas, solid fuel [wood and charcoal] is used in rural households," said Vivek Chattopadhyaya, Principal Programme Manager, Clean Air, at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). “The government’s air pollution management strategy needs to move beyond the city-centric approach and cover all areas. For example, improving air quality in Delhi alone doesn’t help if outer areas do not control air pollution properly,” he said. Chandra Bhushan, CEO of International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology (iForest), said there is a lot of satellite data and studies that show air pollution is as big a problem in rural areas as in urban areas. "A large part of rural India is now nearer to cities; a lot of industrial areas are actually in close proximity and biomass burning is common there." he said. Sunil Dahiya, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, cited the example of poor air quality in the entire Indo-Gangetic plain to stress that air pollution "flows like a river" from Punjab to West Bengal and all areas get affected. "If air pollution is not monitored in rural areas, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist." He said the government should also put out pollution data received from industries set up in rural areas in the public domain to enhance the coverage. All categories of polluting industries are required to install air quality monitors and data from them is submitted to respective State pollution control boards and the Central Pollution Control Board.

Director General Office

आजादी का अमृत महोत्सव: प्रकृति के वे पांच योद्धा, जिन्होंने अपनी हर सांस भारत के पर्यावरण के नाम कर दी

नई दिल्ली: 18वीं सदी की शुरुआत में कोयले और तेल जैसे जीवाश्म ईंधन के व्यापक उपयोग के बाद से आज पृथ्वी लगभग 1 डिग्री सेल्सियस गर्म हो गई है। इसकी परणति ग्लोबल वार्मिंग के रूप में हुई है। जैसे-जैसे ग्लोबल वार्मिंग का भूत हमारे ऊपर मंडरा रहा है, बदलती जलवायु प्रणाली लाखों लोगों को विस्थापित कर रही है और वन्यजीवों को नष्ट कर रही है। यह हमारी साझी प्राकृतिक विरासत के लिए खतरे की घंटी है। प्रकृति के इस अंधाधुंध दोहन ने दुनिया के सामने जलवायु के लिए बड़ा संकट खड़ा कर दिया है यह 21वीं सदी की मुख्य पर्यावरणीय चिंता है, जो पर्यावरण सक्रियता की शुरुआत को जन्म देती है। पर्यावरण संबंधी चिंताओं को दूर करने के लिए काम करने वाले व्यक्तियों और संगठनों के विभिन्न समूहों को एक साथ आने को संदर्भित करती है। आज हम ऐसे ही पर्यावरण कार्यकर्ताओं की बात करने जा रहे हैं जिन्होंने भारत के जलवायु आंदोलन को अलग राह दिखाई है। 1. सुंदरलाल बहुगुणा सुंदरलाल बहुगुणा एक भारतीय पर्यावरणविद् और चिपको आंदोलन के प्रमुख नेता थे। उन्होंने हिमालय में वनों के संरक्षण के लिए लड़ाई लड़ी। 1970 में, उन्होंने पहली बार चिपको आंदोलन के सदस्य के रूप में लड़ाई लड़ी और बाद में 1980 से 2004 की शुरुआत तक टिहरी बांध विरोधी आंदोलन का नेतृत्व किया। हम कह सकते हैं कि वह भारत के शुरुआती पर्यावरणविदों में से एक थे। एक पर्यावरण कार्यकर्ता और हिमालयी लोगों और भारत की नदियों के एक उत्साही रक्षक के रूप में, उन्होंने पहाड़ी लोगों, मुख्य रूप से कामकाजी महिलाओं की दुर्दशा को सुधारने के लिए भी काम किया। वह सामाजिक आंदोलनों से भी जुड़े थे और इससे पहले, जातिवादी भेदभाव के खिलाफ संघर्ष के साथ। गांधी से प्रेरित होकर वह हिमालय के जंगलों और पहाड़ियों से गुजरे और 4700 किलोमीटर से अधिक की पैदल दूरी तय की थी। उन्हें भारत सरकार द्वारा पद्म श्री पुरस्कार दिया गया, लेकिन उन्होंने इसे अस्वीकार कर दिया था। 2. अनुपम मिश्र अनुपम मिश्र जाने-माने गांधीवादी, पत्रकार, लेखक, पर्यावरणविद् और जल संरक्षणवादी थे। पर्यावरण-संरक्षण के प्रति जनचेतना जगाने और सरकारों का ध्यानाकर्षित करने की दिशा में वह तब से काम कर रहे थे, जब देश में पर्यावरण रक्षा का कोई विभाग नहीं खुला था। इनकी कर्मस्थली सूखाग्रस्त अलवर में रही, जहां इन्होंने जल संरक्षण का काम शुरू हुआ जिसे दुनिया ने देखा और सराहा। अनुपम मिश्र भारत के गांवों में घूम-घूमकर वह लोगों को पानी बचाने और जल का संरक्षण करने के पारंपरिक तरीकों के बारे में जागरूक करते थे। इन्होंने अलवर में सूख चुकी अरवरी नदी के पुनर्जीवन में महत्वपूर्ण काम किया है। इसी तरह उत्तराखण्ड और राजस्थान के लापोड़िया में परंपरागत जल स्रोतों के पुनर्जीवन की दिशा में उन्होंने महत्वपूर्ण काम किया है। उनकी लिखी किताबें, ‘आज भी खरे हैं तालाब’ और ‘राजस्थान की रजत बूंदें’ जल संरक्षण के क्षेत्र में मील का पत्थर मानी जाती हैं। इसके अलावा उन्होंने देश-विदेश में बताया कि किस तरह भारत के अलग-अलह हिस्सों में रहने वाले लोग अपनी भौगोलिक स्थिति, संसाधनों की उपलब्धता और जरूरतों को समझते हुए जल संरक्षण के कारगर तरीके अपनाते थे। इनको देश का सर्वोच्च पर्यावरण पुरस्कार ‘इंदिरा गांधी पर्यावरण पुरस्कार’ से भी सम्मानित किया जा चुका है। 3. सुनीता नारायण सुनीता नारायण भारत की प्रसिद्ध पर्यावरणविद है। वर्तमान में सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट के महानिदेशक और पाक्षिक पत्रिका डाउन टू अर्थ के संपादक है। उन्होंने वर्षा जल संचयन पर काम करने और समुदाय आधारित जल प्रबंधन के लिए प्रतिमानों के निर्माण में इसके नीतिगत प्रभाव के लिए काम किया है। दशकों से वे पर्यावरण और समाज की मूलभूत समस्याओं के लिये जागरूकता फैलाने का काम कर रही हैं। उन्होंने समाज के उत्थान के लिये पानी से जुडी समस्याओं, प्रकृति और वातावरण से जुड़े मुद्दों आदि पर काम किया है। वे स्थानीय समुदायों के साथ सह-अस्तित्व एजेंडा बनाने के समाधान की वकालत करती हैं, ताकि संरक्षण के लाभों को साझा किया जा सके और भविष्य सुरक्षित हो सके। 2005 में, उन्होंने सरिस्का में बाघों के नुकसान के बाद देश में संरक्षण के लिए एक कार्य योजना विकसित करने के लिए प्रधान मंत्री के निर्देश पर टाइगर टास्क फोर्स की अध्यक्षता की थी। वे पर्यावरण से जुड़े मुद्दों के अलावा नक्सलवाद, राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार, बाघ व पेड़ संरक्षण और अन्य सामाजिक विषयों पर अपने विचार व्यक्त करती हैं। 2005 में उन्हें भारत सरकार द्वारा पद्म श्री से सम्मानित किया गया था। 4. मारीमुथु योगनाथन मारीमुथु योगनाथन को द ट्री मैन ऑफ इंडिया के नाम से जाना जाता है। वह ‘ग्रीन योद्धा’ के नाम से भी मशहूर हैं। योगनाथन एक भारतीय पर्यावरण कार्यकर्ता हैं। वह तमिलनाडु राज्य परिवहन निगम में एक बस कंडक्टर हैं और एक इको-एक्टिविस्ट के रूप में जाने जाते हैं। उन्हें राज्य भर में लगभग 3 लाख पौधे लगाने में उनके उत्कृष्ट कार्य के लिए अमेरिका स्थित फुटवियर कंपनी टिम्बरलैंड से भी मान्यता मिली। उन्होंने छात्रों को पर्यावरण संरक्षण के प्रति जागरूक भी किया। योगनाथन ने लगभग 3,743 विश्वविद्यालयों, कॉलेजों, स्कूलों और उद्योगों का दौरा किया और पर्यावरण जागरूकता बढ़ाने के लिए कक्षाएं लीं हैं। योगनाथन को उनके पालतू प्रोजेक्ट, “उइरवाज़ा ओरु मारर्न” के लिए भी एक पुरस्कार मिला। इसके तहत छात्रों को उनके जन्मदिन पर एक पौधा लगाना सिखाया गया है। उन्हें भारत के उपराष्ट्रपति द्वारा “इको वारियर” पुरस्कार से सम्मानित किया गया है। 5. राजेंद्र सिंह ‘जलपुरुष’ राजेंद्र सिंह भारतीय जल संरक्षणवादी और पर्यावरणविद् हैं। वह ‘भारत के वाटरमैन’ के रूप में जाने जाते हैं। इनकी कर्मस्थली अलवर, राजस्थान रही, जहां ये सुख चुकी नदियों को पुनर्जीवित करने का काम कर रहे हैं। वर्तमान में ये पुरे देश में घूम-घूमकर नदियों को बचाने का काम कर रहे हैं। उन्होंने जल संचयन और जल प्रबंधन में समुदाय आधारित प्रयासों में अपने अग्रणी कार्य के लिए 2001 में सामुदायिक नेतृत्व के लिए रेमन मैग्सेसे पुरस्कार जीता। वह ‘तरुण भारत संघ’ (TBS) नामक एक एनजीओ चलाते हैं, जिसे 1975 में स्थापित किया गया था। इन्होंने सरिस्का टाइगर रिजर्व के पास थानागाज़ी तहसील के गांव किशोरी-भीकमपुरा में धीमी नौकरशाही और खनन लॉबी से लड़ने में महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभाई है। इन्होंने ग्रामीणों को अपने अर्ध-शुष्क क्षेत्रों में जोहड़, वर्षा जल भंडारण टैंकों, बांधों और अन्य समय-परीक्षण के साथ-साथ पथ-प्रदर्शक तकनीकों के उपयोग के माध्यम से जल प्रबंधन का प्रभार लेने में मदद की है।

Climate Change and Green Economy

India enhanced ambitions when world seeing less action on climate change: Experts

Climate Change and Green Economy

India enhanced ambitions when world seeing less action on climate change: Experts

India has enhanced its climate ambitions in the post-pandemic scenario when the world is seeing less action on climate change and this needs to be appreciated, experts have said welcoming the country"s updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement.The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved India"s updated NDC, incorporating two of the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Glasgow conference -- reducing emissions intensity of GDP by 45 per cent by 2030, compared to 2005 levels, and achieving about 50 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by that year.To further a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, "LIFE"- "Lifestyle for Environment" as a key to combating climate change" has been added to India"s NDC.Environment Ministry officials said the two quantified targets included in the NDC are interlinked with the other promises made at the Glasgow conference last year i.e. 500 gigawatt non-fossil energy capacity by 2030 and reducing total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes by that year."The updated NDC already includes 50 per cent electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based resources by 2030. This is going to take care of the 500GW non-fossil energy capacity target. Similarly, the decision to increase emission intensity reduction target by another 10 per cent (from 35 per cent earlier to 45 per cent now) will cover another "Panchamrit" goal -- reducing CO2 emissions by 1 billion ton by 2030," a senior official told PTI."Net-zero need not be part of the NDC as it"s a 2070 goal and these targets are a step in that direction. However, it could be part of India"s "Long Term Emissions Strategies" document which has to be submitted by the upcoming COP," the official said.Net zero means achieving a balance between the greenhouse gases put into the atmosphere and those taken out.RR Rashmi, distinguished fellow at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), said the decision by India to update its NDCs is in line with the prime minister"s Glasgow announcements. It enhances the ambition and yet puts sustainable development at the centre of the debate, she noted.Director General of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Sunita Narain said India has taken important action at a time when the world is seeing less action on climate change."But disappointed that we have stated that we will have 50 per cent installed non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 instead of what India had said in Glasgow that we will meet 50 per cent of electricity requirements from renewables by 2030. This is disappointing as we are already roughly 40 per cent (power generation capacity from non-fossil fuel-based sources)," she said.Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) fellow Dr Vaibhav Chaturvedi said the share of non-fossil sources in India"s power generation capacity has already crossed 41 per cent on the back of dedicated policies, and emissions intensity of GDP declined by 24 per cent between 2005 and 2016.Emission intensity is the volume of emissions per unit of GDP."That India"s ambition has been enhanced in the post-pandemic scenario needs to be emphasised and appreciated. The Union Cabinet"s statement explicitly states that the enhanced NDC is a step towards the net-zero goal, the government should now follow this with explicit inclusion of the 2070 net-zero pledge in its yet to be submitted long-term strategy to the UN," he said.Madhura Joshi, senior associate at India Energy Transition Lead, E3G, said: "India"s updated NDC targets are a welcome move. These targets, while lower than the "Panchamrit", are actionable." Vibhuti Garg, energy economist and India lead at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, said India"s updated NDC does not include all the "Panchamrit" promises made at COP26 in Glasgow.The revised NDC does not include 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based capacity by 2030 and a reduction of one billion tonnes of carbon emissions by 2030. The current renewable energy target stands at 175 GW by 2030, she said.Environmentalist Rajeev Suri said: "A volte face on commitments announced at COP26 is not good news. Just two pledges received cabinet assent from the Panchamrit declaration made by the PM with much fanfare in Glasgow." "International pledges must be non-regressible; carved in stone; to regress on international pledges weakens India"s commitment to causes that the international community is pursuing and any such commitments made by the country in the future will be viewed with scepticism," he said.India had submitted its first NDC to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on October 2, 2015.It had eight goals, of which three had quantitative targets up to 2030 -- cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil sources to reach 40 percent, reducing emissions intensity of GDP by 33 to 35 per cent compared to 2005 levels and creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover.At the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the UNFCCC last November, Modi had announced that India"s non-fossil energy capacity will reach 500 gigawatt by 2030.He had said India will fulfil 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable energy sources by 2030 and reduce its total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes by that year.India will reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by 45 per cent, over 2005 levels and achieve the target of net zero emissions by 2070, Modi had said. The five promises are called "Panchamrit" (five nectar elements). Two of the promises have been included in the updated NDC. PTI GVS CK

Climate Change and Green Economy

भारत ने जलवायु संबंधी प्रतिबद्धताओं में की वृद्धि : विशेषज्ञ

भारत ने महामारी के बाद ऐसे परिदृश्य में अपनी जलवायु महत्वाकांक्षाओं को बढ़ाया है जब विश्व में जलवायु परिवर्तन को लेकर कम कार्रवाई होती दिख रही है और इस पहल की सराहना की जाने की आवश्यकता है। विशेषज्ञों ने पेरिस समझौते के तहत देश के राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर निर्धारित अद्यतन योगदान (एनडीसी) का स्वागत करते हुए यह बात कही। केंद्रीय मंत्रिमंडल ने बुधवार को भारत के अद्यतन एनडीसी को मंजूरी दी, जिसमें ग्लासगो सम्मेलन में प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी की ओर से किए गए दो वादों को शामिल किया गया है। इनमें एक वादा 2030 तक 2005 के स्तर से अपने सकल घरेलू उत्पाद की उत्सर्जन तीव्रता को 45 प्रतिशत तक कम करने और 2030 तक गैर-जीवाश्म ईंधन-आधारित ऊर्जा संसाधनों से लगभग 50 प्रतिशत संचयी विद्युत शक्ति की स्थापित क्षमता प्राप्त करना शामिल है। पर्यावरण मंत्रालय के अधिकारियों ने कहा कि एनडीसी में शामिल दो लक्ष्य पिछले साल ग्लासगो सम्मेलन में किए गए अन्य वादों के साथ जुड़े हुए हैं। इनमें 2030 तक 500 गीगावाट गैर-जीवाश्म ऊर्जा क्षमता और उस वर्ष तक कुल अनुमानित कार्बन उत्सर्जन में एक अरब टन तक की कमी करना भी शामिल है। एक वरिष्ठ अधिकारी ने कहा, ''अद्यतन की गई एनडीसी में पहले से ही 2030 तक गैर-जीवाश्म ईंधन-आधारित संसाधनों से 50 प्रतिशत संचयी विद्युत शक्ति प्राप्त करना शामिल है। यह 500 गीगावाट गैर-जीवाश्म ऊर्जा क्षमता लक्ष्य को ध्यान में रखते हुए किया जा रहा है। इसी तरह, उत्सर्जन तीव्रता में कमी के लक्ष्य को एक और 10 प्रतिशत (पहले 35 प्रतिशत से अब 45 प्रतिशत तक) बढ़ाने का निर्णय से एक और लक्ष्य हासिल होगा और वह है 2030 तक सीओ2 उत्सर्जन को एक अरब टन तक कम करना।'' अधिकारी ने कहा, ''नेट-जीरो कार्बन उत्सर्जन को एनडीसी में शामिल करने की आवश्यकता नहीं है क्योंकि यह 2070 का लक्ष्य है और ये लक्ष्य उस दिशा में एक कदम हैं। हालांकि, यह भारत के 'दीर्घकालिक उत्सर्जन रणनीति' दस्तावेज़ का हिस्सा हो सकता है, जिसे आगामी सीओपी द्वारा प्रस्तुत किया जाना है।'' द एनर्जी एंड रिसोर्सेज इंस्टीट्यूट (टीईआरआई) की प्रतिष्ठित फेलो आरआर रश्मि ने कहा कि भारत द्वारा अपने एनडीसी को अद्यतन करने का निर्णय प्रधानमंत्री की ग्लासगो घोषणाओं के अनुरूप है। उन्होंने कहा कि यह सतत विकास को चर्चा के केंद्र में रखते हुए महत्वाकांक्षा को बढ़ाता है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने कहा कि भारत ने ऐसे समय में महत्वपूर्ण कार्रवाई की है जब दुनिया में जलवायु परिवर्तन पर कम कार्रवाई होती दिख रही है। उन्होंने कहा, ''लेकिन हम इस बात को लेकर निराश हैं कि भारत ने कहा है कि हमारे पास 2030 तक 50 प्रतिशत स्थापित गैर-जीवाश्म ईंधन क्षमता होगी, इसके बजाय भारत ने ग्लासगो में कहा था कि हम 2030 तक नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा से बिजली की 50 प्रतिशत आवश्यकताओं को पूरा करेंगे। यह निराशाजनक है क्योंकि हम पहले से ही लगभग 40 प्रतिशत (गैर-जीवाश्म ईंधन आधारित स्रोतों से बिजली उत्पादन क्षमता) हासिल कर चुके हैं।''

DTE - Web

‘Grotesque greed’: immoral fossil fuel profits must be taxed, says UN chief

India’s updated climate pledge to Paris Agreement gets Union Cabinet nod Down to Earth Read Article On Wednesday, India’s union cabinet approved its “updated climate pledge”, with a press statement confirming and clarifying “three of five targets” announced by prime minister Narendra Modi at the COP26 UN climate talks in Glasgow last year have now been approved, Down to Earth reports. According to the statement on the country’s updated pledge – yet to be made public and expected to be submitted soon to the UN – “India now stands committed to reducing [the] emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% by 2030 from its 2005 levels”. The country is also aiming for a target of “50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030”. This, the story points out is “a notable change from Modi’s COP26 declaration”, since non-fossil sources “include large hydropower and not just renewable energy sources”. According to the Centre of Science and Environment’s (CSE) Sunita Narain, quoted by Down to Earth, the new target “represents important action”, but “it is disappointing” compared to what “India had said in Glasgow”. Narain added that “to make this a truly ambitious goal, [India] must go beyond installed capacity and account for 50% of generation as well”, conditional on international finance. The environment ministry’s statement “did not specify if India will have an overall target of achieving net-zero emissions by a certain year”, Hindustan Times reports, while claiming the updated pledge “demonstrates India’s commitment at the highest level to decoupling economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions”. While the plan does not commit to sectoral emission reductions, the government highlighted policies that are expected to support the goal, Climate Home News reports. Prof Navroz Dubash – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change coordinating lead author – tells the outlet India’s 2030 climate goal was a “substantial pledge” and “likely to be achievable”, but the Indian government’s decision to not commit a clean energy generation pledge was a “missed opportunity” to cut back on coal, which “would have been a game-changer, because it would have required active management of thermal versus renewable energy power”. Meanwhile, The Telegraph India reports that India’s power minister RK Singh introduced the “Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill 2022” in the upper house of its parliament. The bill “provides for the creation of a carbon credits trading regime”, allowing “the central government, or any agency authorised by it” to issue carbon credit certificates. The government states that the need for the amendments arose “to promote renewable energy and develop a domestic carbon market to battle climate change”, the publication explains. Mint, which first reported on the carbon-market plan last month, added that the bill proposes to “bring large residential buildings within the ambit of energy conservation regime”, while also “prescrib[ing] minimum consumption of non-fossil energy sources as energy or feedstock by consumers”. Bloomberg reported yesterday that India’s carbon trading platform is likely to be announced by Modi at the Independence Day celebrations on 15 August.

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Govt says air pollution primarily urban phenomenon;experts disapprove

Therefore, the government is focusing on monitoring ambient air quality in urban areas, Union Minister of State for Environment Ashwini Kumar Choubey told Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Air pollution is primarily an urban phenomenon and the government is focusing on monitoring ambient air quality in urban areas, Parliament has been informed. Of the 1,243 air quality monitoring stations covering 465 cities in the country, only 26 have been installed in rural areas -- 24 in Punjab and two in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu on an experimental basis. ''Air pollution is primarily an urban phenomenon. Therefore, the government is focusing on monitoring ambient air quality in urban areas,'' Union Minister of State for Environment Ashwini Kumar Choubey told Rajya Sabha on Thursday. In addition, the government has sanctioned 17 monitoring stations in rural areas of Himachal Pradesh (5), Kerala (2), Mizoram (5), Odisha (2), Tripura (1) and Uttar Pradesh (2), the minister said. However, experts say if the government doesn't monitor air pollution in rural areas, ''it doesn't mean it doesn't exist''. ''Air pollution is a regional issue and all areas get affected. Industries, thermal power plants and brick kilns are set up near rural areas, solid fuel (wood and charcoal) is used in rural households,'' said Vivek Chattopadhyaya, Principal Programme Manager, Clean Air, at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The government's air pollution management strategy needs to move beyond the city-centric approach and cover all areas. For example, improving air quality in Delhi alone doesn't help if outer areas do not control air pollution properly, he said. Chandra Bhushan, CEO of International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology (iForest), said there is a lot of satellite data and studies that show air pollution is as big a problem in rural areas as in urban areas. ''A large part of rural India is now nearer to cities; a lot of industrial areas are actually in close proximity and biomass burning is common there.'' he said. Sunil Dahiya, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, cited the example of poor air quality in the entire Indo-Gangetic plain to stress that air pollution ''flows like a river'' from Punjab to West Bengal and all areas get affected. ''If air pollution is not monitored in rural areas, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.'' He said the government should also put out pollution data received from industries set up in rural areas in the public domain to enhance the coverage. All categories of polluting industries are required to install air quality monitors and data from them is submitted to respective state pollution control boards and the Central Pollution Control Board. PTI GVS DV DV (This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Sustainable Food Systems

Biofertilisers: A gamechanger for the agricultural landscape of India

A biofertiliser is a substance which contains living micro-organisms which colonise the rhizosphere or the interior of the plant and promote growth by increasing the supply or availability of primary nutrients to the host plant India ranks second in the farming output aned employs more than 50 per cent of its workforce in farming activities earning about 17-18 per cent of the pie in the country’s GDP. The traditional organic farming practices were followed in India for centuries, but now we see greater standardisation in the same. However, a few decades ago, while addressing the growing population, the government’s encouraging policies and industrial growth many farmers were lured into the short-sighted cultivation processes that involved using a high amount of synthetic chemicals to increase the yield. And it did pay well in the short-run, however, it declined the quality and quantity of the yield over the years and left most of the lands infertile. According to CSE India, in 2019, India was the second highest producer and consumer of chemical fertilisers in the world. According to ICAR, the organic content of the soil has come down to 0.3 per cent which is way below the acceptable range. About 85 per cent of the samples were deficient in organic carbon. This is due to the chemicals present in the fertilisers. However, with the changing times and increasing awareness amongst the consumers, ‘Organic’ has certainly become a buzzword in today’s market. From a luxury, it is now perceived as clean and green food. A number of food items are being sold under the organic label at a premium price. Organic food, cultivated using organic farming techniques, is the produce that is grown with nil or minimal use of chemical fertilisers, and pesticides and in its processing no chemical, artificial colour, flavour or additive has been added. Often, they are produced using organic manures, biofertilisers and biopesticides. Coupled with the rising disposable income, an increasing number of consumers from Tier I and Tier II cities are now ready to pay a premium price for healthier organic food. Realizing the market potential, farmers also have started exploring the realm of organic farming by eschewing the use of agrochemicals. A biofertiliser is a substance which contains living micro-organisms which colonise the rhizosphere or the interior of the plant and promote growth by increasing the supply or availability of primary nutrients to the host plant. They add nutrients and stimulate plant growth. Biofertilisers started gaining attention when farmers faced huge problems of soil infertility and poor yield. In India, the use of biofertilisers has seen massive growth in the last 2-3 decades. The government of India has initiated several schemes and programmes through which they promote the production and use of biofertilisers and organic fertilisers. Their use completely depends on the adoption and acceptance of organic and natural farming processes or an integrated approach. An increase in the use of biofertilisers and organic fertilisers may help in reducing dependence on the chemicals, which in turn can increase soil fertility and its yield. Many state government programmes have been introduced to support organic farming. The government is also making efforts to promote natural farming as a mass movement. Biofertilisers and organic fertilisers were brought under the regulatory purview of the Fertiliser (Inorganic, Organic or Mixed) (Control) Order (FCO), 1985, under the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, in 2006. Many farmers have now opted for integrated farming where they have started complementing their chemical fertilisers with biofertilisers in the majority. This has helped them improve yield and fertility. In 2018, India had the largest number of organic farmers in the world who constituted more than 30 per cent of the organic farmers’ workforce globally. However, India is still in the early stages to implement organic farming practices. According to the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, about 2.78 million hectares of farmland were under organic cultivation as of March 2020. This is just 2 per cent of the 140.1 million has net sown area in the country. According to Fortune Business Insights, the Indian biofertilisers market is expected to grow from $110.07 million in 2022 to $243.61 million by 2029, exhibiting a CAGR of 12.02% in the forecast period. The state of Sikkim converted to 100 per cent organic farming in 2016. Kerala, Mizoram, Goa, Rajasthan, and Meghalaya also intend to follow the same route. Andhra Pradesh is also promoting Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF). Biofertilisers have been proven to have played miracles in the farming sector. It's about time we accept that organic farming and bio-fertilisers are the game changers that will promote healthy soil and greater farming sustainability ensuring a brighter future for the farmers and the improved health of the citizens of India.

Climate Change and Green Economy

India enhanced ambitions when world seeing less action on climate change: Experts

R. R. Rashmi, distinguished fellow at The Energy and Resources Institute, said the decision by India to update its NDCs is in line with the Prime Minister's Glasgow announcements. India has enhanced its climate ambitions in the post-pandemic scenario when the world is seeing less action on climate change and this needs to be appreciated, experts have said welcoming the country's updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement. The Union Cabinet on August 3 approved India's updated NDC, incorporating two of the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Glasgow conference — reducing emissions intensity of GDP by 45% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels, and achieving about 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by that year. To further a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, 'LIFE'- 'Lifestyle for Environment' as a key to combating climate change" has been added to India's NDC. Environment Ministry officials said the two quantified targets included in the NDC are interlinked with the other promises made at the Glasgow conference last year i.e. 500 gigawatt non-fossil energy capacity by 2030 and reducing total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by that year. Explained | What are the takeaways from the latest IPCC report on climate change? "The updated NDC already includes 50% electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based resources by 2030. This is going to take care of the 500GW non-fossil energy capacity target. Similarly, the decision to increase emission intensity reduction target by another 10% (from 35% earlier to 45% now) will cover another 'Panchamrit' goal — reducing CO2 emissions by one billion tonne by 2030," a senior official told PTI. "Net-zero need not be part of the NDC as it's a 2070 goal and these targets are a step in that direction. However, it could be part of India's 'Long Term Emissions Strategies' document which has to be submitted by the upcoming COP," the official said. Net zero means achieving a balance between the greenhouse gases put into the atmosphere and those taken out. R. R. Rashmi, distinguished fellow at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), said the decision by India to update its NDCs is in line with the Prime Minister's Glasgow announcements. It enhances the ambition and yet puts sustainable development at the centre of the debate, she noted. “It is clear that India does not envisage sectoral emission reduction obligations as part of its NDC at least till 2030. The NDC does not bind it to any sector-specific mitigation obligation or action. And, it rightly emphasises the value of a sustainable way of living as an effective and just solution to the problem of climate change,” she said. Director General of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Sunita Narain said India has taken important action at a time when the world is seeing less action on climate change. "But disappointed that we have stated that we will have 50% installed non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 instead of what India had said in Glasgow that we will meet 50% of electricity requirements from renewables by 2030. This is disappointing as we are already roughly 40% (power generation capacity from non-fossil fuel-based sources)," she said. India needs $223 billion to meet 2030 renewable capacity goals: Report Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) fellow Dr. Vaibhav Chaturvedi said the share of non-fossil sources in India's power generation capacity has already crossed 41% on the back of dedicated policies, and emissions intensity of GDP declined by 24% between 2005 and 2016. Emission intensity is the volume of emissions per unit of GDP. "That India's ambition has been enhanced in the post-pandemic scenario needs to be emphasised and appreciated. The Union Cabinet's statement explicitly states that the enhanced NDC is a step towards the net-zero goal, the government should now follow this with explicit inclusion of the 2070 net-zero pledge in its yet to be submitted long-term strategy to the UN," he said. Madhura Joshi, senior associate at India Energy Transition Lead, E3G, said: "India's updated NDC targets are a welcome move. These targets, while lower than the 'Panchamrit', are actionable." Vibhuti Garg, energy economist and India lead at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, said India's updated NDC does not include all the 'Panchamrit' promises made at COP26 in Glasgow. “The revised NDC does not include 500GW of non-fossil fuel-based capacity by 2030 and a reduction of one billion tonnes of carbon emissions by 2030. The current renewable energy target stands at 175GW by 2030,” she said. In order to achieve 2070 net-zero goals, India needs actionable short-term targets till 2030 that can help the country to achieve its long-term goal, Mr. Garg added. India had submitted its first NDC to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change on October 2, 2015. It had eight goals, of which three had quantitative targets up to 2030 — cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil sources to reach 40%, reducing emissions intensity of GDP by 33-35% compared to 2005 levels and creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover. At the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the UNFCCC last November, Mr. Modi had announced that India's non-fossil energy capacity will reach 500GW by 2030. He had said India will fulfil 50% of its energy requirements from renewable energy sources by 2030 and reduce its total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by that year. India will reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by 45%, over 2005 levels and achieve the target of net zero emissions by 2070, Mr. Modi had said. The five promises are called 'Panchamrit' (five nectar elements). Two of the promises have been included in the updated NDC.

Climate Change and Green Economy

Cabinet OKs enhanced climate action goals under Paris Agreement

NEW DELHI: Taking a step towards achieving India’s long-term goal of reaching ‘net zero’ emission by 2070, the Cabinet on Wednesday approved the country’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) — climate action targets — committing to achieve about 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil-fuel-based energy resources by 2030 and to reduce emissions intensity (emission per unit of GDP) by 45% by 2030 from the 2005 level. India, however, makes its non-fossil-fuel-based (renewable as well as nuclear) electricity target conditional on international finance and technological support even as the country has, so far, made substantial progress on its earlier commitments largely financed from domestic resources. Making new pledges, the country clearly says that it will achieve its target of 50% cumulative electric power from non-fossil-fuel-based energy resources “with the help of transfer of technology and low-cost international finance, including from Green Climate Fund (GCF)”. The updated NDC is soon to be communicated to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). India’s new commitment actually translates the ‘Panchamrit’, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP26 in Glasgow, UK, into enhanced climate targets. It, however, prefers not to quantify its electricity goal in gigawatt-term (500GW) as announced earlier and remains silent on reduction of total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now to 2030. It, at the same time, clarified that 50% of ‘energy’ requirements from renewable energy by 2030, as stated in Glasgow, is to be counted in terms of non-fossil-fuel-based ‘electricity’ installed capacity. “In our view, we should have been as ambitious as we were in Glasgow,”said environmentalist Sunita Narain of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). On the non-fossil-fuel-based electricity target, she said, “To meet 50% electricity from non-fossil by 2030, we will need to have 65-70% installed capacity of non/fossil sources... This is ambitious and will be expensive and this is why we need to make this conditional to international finance.” India’s updated NDC will be implemented by 2030 through programmes and schemes of relevant ministries/departments and with due support from states and UTs. Flagging India’s vision of “sustainable lifestyles” and “climate justice” to protect the poor and vulnerable from adverse impacts of climate change as a core theme of the updates, the NDC also emphasises on “citizen-centric approach” and mentions a need to have mass movement for ‘LIFE’ — Lifestyle for Environment — as a key to combat climate change. NDCs are basically the voluntary targets of countries under the Paris Agreement to collectively reach the goal of keeping the global average temperature rise well below 2° Celsius while making efforts to limit it to 1.5°C above pre-industrial (1850-1900) level. Though many countries have submitted their updated NDCs, analysis of their new targets shows the world continues to fall short to achieve its intended goal. India’s NDC, however, does not bind it to any sector-specific mitigation obligation or action. “India’s goal is to reduce overall emission intensity and improve energy efficiency of its economy over time and at the same time protect the vulnerable sectors of the economy and segments of our society,” clarified the government while making a statement on the updated targets. It, however, mentioned how its ‘net zero’ target of the Railways by 2030 alone will lead to a reduction of emissions by 60 million tonnes annually.

Urban Lab

Heatwaves Rising During Monsoon For Past 2 Decades, But Related Deaths Fall: Govt

The All India mean temperature was recorded at 27.9 degrees Celsius in 2001 and had settled at 28.4 degrees Celsius in 2021 During the monsoon season, the average temperature in India has been increasing over the past two decades leading to various weather events across the country, the Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh informed Lok Sabha earlier in the day. The minister also pointed out that the farming activities were delayed due to the change in the rainfall pattern this year. "It is a fact that the annual temperature is increasing globally and the impact of the same is reflected in the increase in severe weather occurrence in various parts of the globe, including India," Singh said in a written reply during the Parliament session in lower house, news agency PTI reported. The All India mean temperature was recorded at 27.9 degrees Celsius in 2001 and had settled at 28.4 degrees Celsius in 2021, Singh said adding that the All India Mean Temperature had recorded a high of 28.6 degrees Celsius in 2019. While responding to separate question in Lok Sabha, Singh also cited a recent climate assessment report of the Ministry of Earth Sciences which revealed that the tropical Indian Ocean was warming rapidly over the recent decades. "The average basin-wide sea surface temperature (SST) is warming at a rate of 0.15 degrees Celsius per decade during 1951-2015. During the same period, globally averaged SST warmed at a rate of approximately 0.11 degrees Celsius," Singh said. "Owing to this rapid warming, the sea level in the Indian Ocean was observed to be rising at a rate of 1.06-1.75 mm per year during the last century (1874-2004) and approximately 3.3 mm per year in the recent decades (1993-2015), which is in a similar range of the mean sea level rise," PTI quoted Singh as saying. The government also noted that temperatures in India have surged during the monsoon season and the country might see more frequent heatwaves in the day to come. However, it said that deaths due to heatwaves came down significantly in the recent past. India has recorded its hottest March in more than a century. Last month, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) analysis based on India Meteorological Department (IMD)’s long-term data revealed that June to September monsoon season has been 0.3-0.4 degrees Celsius hotter than pre-monsoon seasons in the decade from 2012 to 2022.

Climate Change and Green Economy

Cabinet approves India’s new emission reduction targets

Both were part of PM Modi’s 'panchamrit' announcement at Glasgow climate summit last November when he said India would achieve a 'Net Zero' status by 2070 The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved India's new greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, committing to move on a green growth trajectory by reducing the GDP’s emission intensity by 45 per cent by 2030. The Cabinet also accorded its stamp of approval on achieving 50 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based sources by 2030. The emission intensity reduction is in comparison to the level in 2005.Both were part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “panchamrit” (five nectar) announcement made at Glasgow climate summit last November when he said India would achieve a “Net Zero” status by 2070.<div class="ad-320-1023" id="in-article3-1"></div><div id="outstream_ad" style="background-color: transparent;" align="center"></div>The new targets would be a part of India’s updated NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution), which New Delhi would soon submit to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The previous NDC was submitted to the UN body on October 2, 2015.“Two other quantitative targets from Glasgow are built into the two updated quantitative targets. The 50 per cent installed electric capacity target covers the announcement of 500 GW non-fossil energy capacity,” an official told DH. “Also the updated NDC on emissions intensity covers the announcement of reduction in one billion tonnes of carbon dioxide till 2030. These announcements are a step towards achieving Net Zero by 2070.”The Centre said the updated NDC, represents the framework for India’s transition to cleaner energy for the period 2021-2030.According to an official statement, the updated framework along with tax concessions and production linked incentive schemes will help enhance India’s manufacturing capabilities and exports while hiking the number of green jobs."This is an important action at this time when the world is seeing less action on climate change,” said Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment, reacting to the Cabinet decision.“But the disappointment is, we have stated that we will have 50 per cent installed non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 instead of what we said in Glasgow - India will meet 50 per cent of electricity requirements from renewable sources by 2030."Narain said to meet 50 per cent electricity from non-fossil sources by 2030, India would need to have 65-70 per cent installed capacity of non-fossil sources.This is because India will need to increase its energy consumption but the growth should be on renewable and non-fossil sources. “This is ambitious and will be expensive. This is why we need to make this conditional to international finance,” she said.India’s first NDC mentioned a preliminary estimate of $ 2.5 trillion up to 2030 for the turnaround. “While India’s climate actions have so far been largely financed from domestic resources, New Delhi would require its due share from international finances besides technological support,” said an official.“The share of non-fossil sources in India's power generation capacity has already crossed 41 per cent on the back of dedicated policies, and emissions intensity GDP declined by 24 per cent between 2005 and 2016. That India's ambition has been enhanced in the post pandemic scenario needs to be emphasised and appreciated,” commented Vaibhav Chaturvedi, Fellow, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).