• Urban Lab

India′s forgotten stray animals undergo underneath file heatwaves |

India’s excessive summer time months usually are not solely hitting people laborious however have taken a toll on the canine, cats and different animals dwelling on the nation’s streets. Whereas canine and cats have lengthy lived facet by facet with people and trusted them for meals, they’ve by no means actually been thought-about as valued members of the nation. A part of that exclusion stems from folks’s perceptions — that road canine are harmful and a nuisance, based on a research revealed by a bunch of biologists who observe the conduct of road canine. Individuals’s aversion to stray canine stems from their tendency to combat with one another over meals and the truth that they will carry rabies, a illness that’s nonetheless a serious well being concern in India. Round two in each 100,000 individuals are affected by the virus every year, based on the research. Nevertheless, the researchers discovered that road canine on the entire confirmed little signal of aggression. Nonetheless, the individuals who look after canine and cats, offering them with meals and water, are sometimes harassed. New Delhi’s canine days of summer time India repeatedly hit file temperatures in April and Might, with the capital metropolis New Delhi enduring temperatures of 44 levels Celsius (111.2 Fahrenheit) in early June. Whereas the early arrival of the dry summer time months within the northern and central elements of the nation was partly the results of an oceanic phenomenon known as La Nina, Avikal Somvanshi, an urbanologist on the Centre for Science and Surroundings, mentioned local weather change has additionally performed a serious position. Raj Mariwala, an animal behaviorist who lives in Mumbai, defined that excessive warmth places all animals prone to dehydration and warmth stroke. Stray cats drinking water left out in buckets The excessive temperatures and lack of water may cause quite a lot of illnesses in cats Mukesh Verma, a veterinarian at Friendicoes, an animal sanctuary simply outdoors New Delhi, mentioned animals may undergo an array of issues from lethargy to abdomen issues. The vet takes care of virtually 1,700 stray animals on the shelter. Verma defined that horses, usually used for weddings throughout summer time, are barely taken care of and should not get their required consumption of ingesting water. Too weak to fly Nadeem Shehzad and his brother, the founders of Wildlife Rescue, a hen rescue NGO in Delhi, defined that they’ve already handled as much as 700 birds, largely kites, this summer time. Delhi’s slaughterhouses and meat processing vegetation have attracted a big inhabitants of predatory birds like kites. However an absence of water can preserve them grounded as they’re too weak to fly, leaving them much more susceptible. “When the warmth was insufferable this summer time, we noticed 50% within the variety of child kites that wanted therapy,” Shehzad mentioned. A lot of them had been dehydrated. Cities supply little refuge from sweltering warmth Specialists maintained that in addition to the danger of dehydration, it was turning into virtually inconceivable for animals to chill themselves down in city facilities. Not solely is there an absence of sheltered areas for them, however cities are additionally getting hotter than their surrounding areas, a phenomenon generally known as City Warmth Island impact, defined Somvanshi, who can be an architect. The evaporation of water from the soil and plant leaves helps to chill the air in rural areas, however that impact is misplaced in cities due to their lack of inexperienced areas. Vets rehydrate a dog at Friendicoes, an animal rescue NGO in Delhi Frendicoes has handled a whole lot of stray canine affected by the summer time warmth An increase in “nighttime temperatures is especially problematic” and places folks and animals at higher danger, Somvanshi added. As well as, cities additionally dump waste warmth — from vehicles or air conditioners — instantly into the surface air. Animal cruelty goes largely unpunished Though there are a number of legal guidelines towards animal cruelty in India, they do little by way of punishing offenders. India’s animals are protected by three broad legal guidelines — Sections 428 and 429 of the Indian Penal Code, the place killing or maiming animals is taken into account a severe crime and can lead to arrest, the Wildlife Safety Act of 1972, and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The final one criminalizes cruelty to animals — which covers all the things from torture to not offering them with satisfactory meals and shelter. However the related punishments usually are not precisely harsh — first-time offenders are fined between 10 rupees ($0.13) and 50 rupees. Repeat offenders might be imprisoned for as much as 3 months. “Nobody takes the legal guidelines critically and other people consistently harass us if we feed canine,” defined Mariwala. Comparable animal cruelty crimes within the UK, for instance, can lead to a lifetime ban from proudly owning pets or a positive of as much as £20,000. Communities organizing to guard our furry associates There aren’t any official figures for the variety of stray canine or animals in India, although Mariwala and different specialists estimate that there are round 35 million road canine. Two cows hanging out in the shade of a tree by the side of the road Cats and canine aren’t the one animals left to wrestle with the warmth in India’s cities Quite a lot of neighborhood organizations usually use alternative ways of marking canine to maintain observe — like having them put on collars. Sudhir Kudalkar, a police officer in Mumbai, established an animal welfare group in December 2020 that carries out totally different missions — some groups present meals for stray animals whereas one other workforce takes care of complaints from feeders and tackles different civil points. Kudalkar instructed DW that he’s particularly proud to have led a authorized workforce to deal with animal cruelty. As an additional potential signal of adjusting perceptions, earlier in June the japanese Indian state of Odisha additionally launched an animal helpline in addition to a phone veterinary service for the safety of stray and deserted animals.

• Urban Lab

India’s forgotten stray animals suffer under record heat

India’s extreme summer months are not only hitting humans hard but have taken a toll on the dogs, cats and other animals living on the nation’s streets. While dogs and cats have long lived side by side with humans and depended on them for food, they have never really been considered as valued members of the country. Part of that exclusion stems from people’s perceptions — that street dogs are dangerous and a nuisance, according to a study published by a group of biologists who track the behavior of street dogs. People’s aversion to stray dogs stems from their tendency to fight with each other over food and the fact that they can carry rabies, a disease that is still a major health concern in India. Around two in every 100,000 people are affected by the virus each year, according to the study. However, the researchers found that street dogs on the whole showed little sign of aggression. Nevertheless, the people who care for dogs and cats, providing them with food and water, are often harassed. New Delhi’s dog days of summer India repeatedly hit record temperatures in April and May, with the capital city New Delhi enduring temperatures of 44 degrees Celsius (111.2 Fahrenheit) in early June. While the early arrival of the dry summer months in the northern and central parts of the country was partly the result of an oceanic phenomenon called La Nina, Avikal Somvanshi, an urbanologist at the Centre for Science and Environment, said climate change has also played a major role. Raj Mariwala, an animal behaviorist who lives in Mumbai, explained that extreme heat puts all animals at risk of dehydration and heat stroke. Indias forgotten stray animals suffer under record heat Mukesh Verma, a veterinarian at Friendicoes, an animal sanctuary just outside New Delhi, said animals can also suffer an array of problems from lethargy to stomach problems. The vet looks after almost 1,700 stray animals at the shelter. Verma explained that horses, often used for weddings during summer, are barely taken care of and may not get their required intake of drinking water. Too weak to fly Nadeem Shehzad and his brother, the founders of Wildlife Rescue, a bird rescue NGO in Delhi, explained that they have already treated up to 700 birds, mostly kites, this summer. Delhi’s slaughterhouses and meat processing plants have attracted a large population of predatory birds like kites. But a lack of water can keep them grounded as they are too weak to fly, leaving them even more vulnerable. “When the heat was unbearable this summer, we saw 50% in the number of baby kites that needed treatment,” Shehzad said. A large number of them were dehydrated. Cities offer little refuge from sweltering heat Experts maintained that besides the risk of dehydration, it was becoming almost impossible for animals to cool themselves down in urban centers. Not only is there a lack of sheltered spaces for them, but cities are also getting hotter than their surrounding areas, a phenomenon known as Urban Heat Island effect, explained Somvanshi, who is also an architect. The evaporation of water from the soil and plant leaves helps to cool the air in rural areas, but that effect is lost in cities because of their lack of green spaces. Indias forgotten stray animals suffer under record heat A rise in “nighttime temperatures is particularly problematic” and puts people and animals at greater risk, Somvanshi added. In addition, cities also dump waste heat — from cars or air conditioners — directly into the outside air. Animal cruelty goes largely unpunished Even though there are several laws against animal cruelty in India, they do little in terms of punishing offenders. India’s animals are protected by three broad laws — Sections 428 and 429 of the Indian Penal Code, where killing or maiming animals is considered a serious crime and can result in arrest, the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The last one criminalizes cruelty to animals — which covers everything from torture to not providing them with adequate food and shelter. But the associated punishments — first-time offenders are fined between 10 rupees ($0.13) and 50 rupees. Repeat offenders can be imprisoned for up to 3 months. “No one takes the laws seriously and people constantly harass us if we feed dogs,” explained Mariwala. Similar animal cruelty crimes in the UK, for example, can result in a lifetime ban from owning pets or a fine of up to £20,000. Communities organizing to protect our furry friends There are no official figures for the number of stray dogs or animals in India, though Mariwala and other experts estimate that there are around 35 million street dogs. Indias forgotten stray animals suffer under record heat A lot of neighborhood organizations often use different ways of marking dogs to keep track — like having them wear collars. Sudhir Kudalkar, a police officer in Mumbai, established an animal welfare group in December 2020 that carries out different missions — some teams provide food for stray animals while another team takes care of complaints from feeders and tackles other civil issues. Kudalkar told DW that he is especially proud to have led a legal team to tackle animal cruelty. As a further possible sign of changing perceptions, earlier in June the eastern Indian state of Odisha also launched an animal helpline as well as a telephone veterinary service for the protection of stray and abandoned animals.

• Sustainable Habitat

Liveability is not the only key city index

Our cities must be made liveable – also sustainable, and equitable – primarily for the millions who live, work and play in them, rather than to earn bragging rights on the global stage. t’s an annual ritual for those invested in it. No, not the pre-monsoon cleaning of the storm water drains in Mumbai, but the ranking of cities around the world on an index that shows how liveable – or not – they are. There are no surprises this year in the Global Liveability Index 2022: Vienna is back at the top of the world’s cities in the pre-pandemic position that it had held, six of the top ten most liveable cities are in Europe, and Osaka in Japan is the only Asian city in this exclusive set. No Indian city was within sniffing distance of the top ranks. Mumbaikars are used to the city not earning applause for the quality of life or ease of living it offers; we love it and live in it for other reasons such as the sense of freedom and identity it provides to most, its embrace of the poorest as much as the wealthy, the smorgasbord of opportunities it has, and its unique mix of cultures and languages that make it – with some exceptions – India’s most cosmopolitan city. Mumbai may not bag an honourable spot in the Global Liveability Index; it may, with some difficulty, just about make it to the top five in India. We know and accept this – and love it anyway. Delhi folks may be disturbed that the city which has it all by Indian standards – from history and power to open spaces and wealth – also fails to find a high spot in the Index. In fact, Delhi ranked sixth, one place behind Mumbai in the Ease of Living Index of state capitals in India two years ago, produced by the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. This Index was a composite of four parameters – quality of life, citizens’ perceptions, sustainability, economic ability – weighted differently to arrive at 100. Bengaluru and Chennai bagged the first and second spot, Shimla and Bhubaneswar at third and fourth places trumped Mumbai. Even these cities did not shine in the Global Liveability Index. Should we worry about India’s absence in the top levels of this Index? Yes and no. No, because the Global Liveability Index is a relatively tunnel-vision approach to ranking cities, its purpose being to facilitate the movement of global capital and related services. The Index, compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit of the reputed business journal The Economist, is a weighted average of nearly 30 quantitative and qualitative parameters clustered into five groups, namely stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. However, the approach tends to be singularly capital-driven, a measure of where global capital and its managers are most likely to feel at home, find it comfortable to conduct business, and so on. In the Index 2022 released this week, behind Vienna are European cities Copenhagen, Zurich, Geneva, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam, interspersed by Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto in Canada. Tied with Osaka in tenth place is Melbourne. The absence of an American city in the top ten seems odd while the non-appearance of African cities barely raises eyebrows. And Singapore, universally lauded for its business-friendly infrastructure and lifestyle, failed to make the top ten too. The Index offers reasons for some of these but that’s not as important as the fact that the rankings do not solely determine the business potential or financial markets in a city. Besides, the Index does not emphasise an aspect of evaluating cities that is increasingly becoming significant in the era of climate change: Sustainability. A top-ranked liveable city may not necessarily be ecologically sustainable or socially equitable. An index which comprehensively includes these evaluations would be worth chasing. This is why the absence of India’s top metropolitan cities in the Global Liveability Index should not bother us beyond a blip on our radar. That blip is the only reason to take the Index seriously. It shows how much work remains to be done in India’s cities for any of them to be anywhere near the top in international indices collated from time to time. The mindset of city administrations need not be that of a wannabe seeking to fit into an international standard. Our cities must be made liveable – also sustainable, and equitable – primarily for the millions who live, work and play in them, rather than to earn bragging rights on the global stage. The state of physical and social infrastructure even in top cities around India is such that a fraction of their populations, the top 10 per cent perhaps, live a decent quality of life; for the rest, every day is a struggle to get by. For those at the bottom of the socio-economic pyramid in a city, its liveability is hardly something they think about. Who worries about access to open spaces when they don’t have a basic affordable house to live in? Two factors in India’s cities impede their progress towards liveability, sustainability and equity: Population and city administrations. Vienna has under 20 lakh people living in it; a mere 10 per cent of Delhi’s population or Mumbai’s. Andheri suburb in Mumbai – practically a city within the city – is divided into east and west sides; the western side alone has twice the population of Vienna. It’s obvious that planning a city and providing physical as well as social amenities for 20 million is several times more challenging than for 20 lakh. Yet, the population or its density cannot be an excuse in India’s cities for sub-par housing, transport, safety and so on. The buck stops, or should stop, at the city administration or city government. With the limited resources at its disposal, within the constraints that are typical in the Indian context, can a city government or municipal corporation do better in say Mumbai or Delhi? The answer has to be a resounding ‘yes’. Our civic authorities fail us more than any other – in planning, implementing, and imagining a city that can be reasonably liveable, sustainable, and equitable for all who choose to make it their home. What we need is an index for India’s cities that’s a composite of liveability, sustainability and equity.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

To cut bad air, curbs on trucks entering Delhi from Nov to Feb

Last year, the Delhi government banned the entry of all trucks (except those carrying essential commodities) into the capital between November 17 and December 20, as the air quality started deteriorating to become severe (AQI more than 400). The Delhi government is likely to ban the entry of diesel-run goods carriers, except those transporting essentials such as vegetables, fruits and milk, from entering the Capital for four months between November 1, 2022 and February 28, 2023, in a move to combat air pollution in winter months, senior government officials said on Thursday and added that the transport department was preparing an order in this regard. The order, however, was not notified till late Thursday evening. Last year, the Delhi government banned the entry of all trucks (except those carrying essential commodities) into the Capital between November 17 and December 20, on the orders of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) as Delhi’s air quality started deteriorating to become severe (AQI more than 400). Senior government officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said unlike the previous year, this time the ban will be strictly focused on diesel-run heavy to medium vehicles, except those transporting essential items such as raw vegetables, fruits, grains, milk, eggs, and tankers carrying petroleum products. The exceptions may also include CNG-run trucks and tempos and electric goods carriers, the officials added even as the final order was awaited. “The CAQM has always asked governments to take proactive decisions or actions to curb air pollution. So instead of waiting for directions, the Delhi government this time has started preparing for winter pollution in advance. Therefore, this order of banning diesel-run goods carriers for a period of about four months is being drafted,” said a senior transport department official. A second official said the reason behind issuing the order so early is to let all traders and transporters know well in advance about the rules that were to be implemented during the winter months. “Every year, such orders are issued as an emergency measure during peak pollution months and it results in kilometres-long queues of trucks at all borders of Delhi. They have to be sent back since many of them say they were not aware of the restrictions. Transporters call it a knee-jerk reaction because they are not informed in advance. Now, they can plan their routes well in advance and take the eastern or western peripheral expressways, among other alternate routes that bypass Delhi. This is the reason why the order is being issued four months before its implementation,” according to the official. Cities Except for trucks having an all India permit, majority goods vehicles in Delhi run on CNG. So, the curbs will mostly affect the trucks coming from other states. An analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in 2015 found that trucks contributed to around 30% of the total pollution due to vehicles in Delhi. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data from March 1 to May 11, 2022 shows Delhi recorded a total of 55 ‘poor’, 1 ‘very poor’, 16 ‘moderate’ and no ‘satisfactory’ or ‘good’ air quality days. In comparison, there were 35 ‘poor’ days and just three ‘very poor’ days during the same period last year. An air quality index (AQI) of 0-50 is termed ‘good’, 51-100 is ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 is ‘moderate’, 201-300 is ‘poor’ and 301-400 is ‘very poor’. In April, the Delhi government formulated a 14-point action plan to combat air pollution during summer even as experts called for long term plans to combat air pollution in the city. Every year during winters, Delhi’s air quality deteriorates leading to a health emergency due to local, external emissions and meteorological factors such as poor wind speed and fog. Earlier this week, Delhi transport department wrote to neighbouring states such as Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, urging them to ply only BS-VI emission compliant buses on their Delhi routes. “The NGT has already directed that diesel vehicles of more than 10 years life will not be allowed to ply in NCR. It is important to mention that the public transport in Delhi has been switched completely to CNG, while buses plying from other states to NCT of Delhi continue to use diesel. For achieving a tangible result in respect of control on pollution efforts of all the stakeholders including the neighbouring States are needed,” OP Mishra, special commissioner (operations), transport, said in the letter written to the Haryana government.

• DTE - Web

The required nudge

Traditional funds are not enough for the MSME sector to achieve decarbonisation; there’s a need to unlock international climate funds as well The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector contributes around 30 per cent to India's gross domestic product and employs around 120 million people. But at the same time, it generates around 110 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, according to a report by the Centre for Study of Science, Technology & Policy (CSTEP) published in 2018. Countries across the globe were urged to come forward and make commitments to attain net zero carbon emissions by 2050 during the 26th Conference of Parties (CoP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at Glasgow, Scotland in 2021. India also attended the conference and committed to two major goals. First, it would supply 50 per cent of its energy needs through renewable sources by 2030. Achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2070 is the second goal. The only way to do this is to gradually phase out the use of coal, increase investment in renewable energy sources, stop deforestation and speed up the transition to electric vehicles. The CSTEP report also highlighted that the sector used 13 per cent (81 million tonnes) of the total coal / lignite, seven per cent (8.5 million tonnes) of petroleum products and eight per cent (3.3 billion cubic metres) of the natural gas supplied in India in 2015-16. The MSME sector needs a push to adopt new technologies that quickly minimise its carbon footprints and make it less vulnerable to climate change and risk. The sector can achieve this transformation with the aid of climate finance. The credit gap is huge. Traditional funds alone cannot help the sector to become decarbonised. Why climate finance? The MSME sector in India faces a huge credit gap, which means the difference between the total supply of credit from formal channels in the country and the addressable demand. According to a study conducted by the International Finance Corporation on 'Financing India's MSMEs' in 2018, it was found that the credit gap was around USD 37 billion in 2010 and reached USD 3,30,75,60,00,000 in 2017. In 10 years, the gap compounded annually at a rate of 37 per cent. The report also highlighted the status of flow of finance in the MSME sector. The overall debt demand of the sector is USD 8,88,42,60,00,000. But the irony is only USD 1,39,73,80,00,000 (16 per cent) is catered to by the formal sector (commercial banks and government institutions) and the remaining USD 7,48,68,80,00,000 is catered to by the informal sector (including family, friends and family business). Climate finance is money paid by developed countries (which are responsible for most of the historic emissions) to developing countries to help them pay for emissions reduction measures and adaptation. Climate finance will open doors and enable the transfer of technology and expertise from developed to developing nations, which require these resources and capacity to combat climate change at the rate that the world currently demands. Accessing climate finance Climate finance is still a fantasy for MSMEs, as many still struggle to obtain traditional financing. The challenges are caused by the following factors: 1. Lack of awareness: The MSME sector does not have awareness regarding climate finance structures and policies. Their knowledge of how their businesses may earn profit from climate finance is constrained by a lack of awareness on the subject and a lack of financial literacy. For example, they would be unaware of the existence of modern, affordable carbon emission reduction technology or how using climate finance can help them manage some of their business risks. 2. Formal Financing structure: Only about 16 per cent of MSMEs in India have been found to be financed through the country's formal banking system. Given that most climate finance in India is routed through formal financial frameworks with strict guidelines, this also imposes a major barrier on the sector to avail the benefit. 3. Comprehensive Procedural needs: Comprehensive procedures are needed to avail international climate funds procedures. These include the creation of a detailed project, energy and emission audit reports, etc. Many small and micro-businesses cannot implement these because they lack the means or the ability to do so. Two people from the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, attended a roundtable on Financing Low Carbon Transitions for India's MSME sector on June 14. The roundtable was attended by the people from the Union environment ministry, Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation and various other renowned stakeholders who are working in the field of the MSME sector. "The financial needs of the sector require innovation, such as incentive and blended-based financing in order to achieve low carbon pathways," said Ruchika Drall, deputy secretary of the environment ministry. Drall added, "Digital means of finance and revamping of technologies will help the sector to grow". "For the MSME sector to grow, a blended approach is required; financial and technological aspects to be merged together," Rajiv Kumar, general manager of SIDBI, said. Debajit Das, national project coordinator at UNIDO, said, "Huge capacity building and awareness is required for the sector and MSMEs need to be linked with the digital framework." Way forward The Indian government needs to work on strategies and try to bring finance to MSMEs so that the sector can decarbonise. In other words, climate finance should be routed to the MSME sector. The sector needs to be connected with a more formal financial credit system, which will enable them to achieve climate finance and bridge the huge credit gap. In addition to this, the major focus should be on the most accelerated aspects of decarbonisation like cleaner fuel, common combustion facilities and energy efficiency technologies that can achieve a high level of decarbonisation in the sector. DTE

• Down To Earth

The Habitats Trust Announces Grants Worth Rs. 3.20 Crore to Support Organizations and Individuals Working Towards Securing India’s rich biodiversity

The Habitats Trust, a not-for-profit organization working towards the protection and conservation of India’s natural habitats and their indigenous species, is inviting applications to financially support organizations and individuals doing seminal work towards protecting and conserving India’s threatened wildlife and natural habitats. The Habitats Trust Grants, with a total prize purse of Rs. 3.20 Crore (three crores and twenty lakhs), will be given in three categories with the aim of securing India’s rich biodiversity. The application portal for the Grants will remain open from June 23, 2022 to August 5, 2022 and forms can be filled online and accessed from https://www.thehabitatstrust.org/ Rushikesh Chavan, Head of The Habitats Trust said, “The need to conserve biodiversity is pressing as India stares at an unprecedented crisis when it comes to mitigating the biggest challenges that humanity faces. According to a 2021 report by Centre for Science and Environment, our country has lost over 90% of the area under its four biodiversity hotspots and 25 species from these have already become extinct. The Habitats Trust Grants is an effort to mobilize and scale on-ground efforts by passionate conservationists to help secure and restore our rich biodiversity.” “Our Grants categories will help ensure that we are able to support a diverse range and scale of projects. A significantly enhanced grants purse of Rs. 3.20 Crore (from Rs 1.26 Crore last year) with longer duration grants projects will enable our grantees to drive deeper and more sustained impact year-on-year. I am particularly excited about the Seeds Grant as it will allow us to nurture a young generation of conservationists while giving them the opportunity and freedom to work on experimental projects.” Not-for-profit organizations working to conserve India’s biodiversity can apply for the Grants. The revised grant categories include: · THT Conservation Grant of Rs. 1 crore, each to two organizations The Habitats Trust Conservation Grant will support organisations working towards the conservation of lesser-known species and critical habitats. It will assist the grantees in addressing critical conservation challenges of India such including but not limited to habitat degradation and destruction, loss of biodiversity, conservation of endangered species, solutions for human-wildlife conflict. This grant is only open to organizations that have a proven record of working in wildlife conservation for a minimum of five years. The selected projects will have to be executed over a three-year period. This is aimed at allowing sufficient time for the winners to make the most of the Grant and create a deeper impact on ground. The Habitats Trust Action Grant will support three individuals or organizations or both, working on-ground on lesser-known species and/or habitats that require urgent conservation intervention. The selected individuals or organizations should have been working in the field of wildlife conservation for a minimum of two years. The selected project will have to be executed over a period of two years. New Evaluation Process Applications for the Grants will be evaluated through a multi-level screening process by a panel of experts from the field of conservation including scientists and subject-matter experts. These experts, who are also the sub-jury, will screen and shortlist 30 applicants across the two categories and will further assess these shortlisted projects through a field evaluation round. 20 applications overall will move to the final Jury Round. The five recipients of The Habitats Trust Grants 2022 will be announced by an eminent jury towards the end of this year. Applications will be measured on relevance, expected conservation impact, stakeholder engagement, scalability, replicability, and sustainability of the proposed project. This year, the organization has also introduced a new category – THT Seed Grant is a year round grant, which will support up to 15 applicants with Rs 3 lakhs, each. This Grant will financially support organizations or individuals working on small, limited duration projects or conservation research efforts that tackle issues related to lesser-known species/ habitats, or pilot projects in relatively unexplored landscapes or data deficient species. Applicants testing new methodologies and/or conducting rapid surveys will be eligible for this grant. While the grant application window for this category will also open on 23rd June, individuals and organizations can apply for this category throughout the year on the same portal. The selection for this grant will be done by subject matter experts within The Habitats Trust.

• Climate Change and Green Economy

Wordplay takes centre stage as developed countries seek to shrug off responsibility at Bonn

The climate conference saw calls for equity in science, and a push for private finance from developed nations, yet a set of weak outcomes at the end of the technical negotiations leaves a yawning deficit of trust as the world prepares for COP27 On June 16, the Bonn climate conference drew to a close on an expectedly somber note. There was a slight delay in holding the closing plenaries of the subsidiary bodies (SB) to provide room for last minute informal consultations. As reported earlier by CarbonCopy, the main issues such as mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage were highly contested right from the start and only got more divisive as the days progressed. Nevertheless, the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) adopted their conclusions while both parties and observers registered their statements and disagreements. Outside negotiation rooms and plenaries, members of civil society marked their protest seeking concrete action on loss and damage. Discussions on mitigation at the conference were part of the first work programme on scaling up mitigation ambition, and they were hotly contested, including during the closing plenary when developing countries raised concerns of equity. India, speaking for the BASIC group that includes Brazil, South Africa, China and India, called for COP27 to be guided by the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC). Other developing countries, too, underscored the importance of upholding equity and CBDR-RC during the 11-day conference. The other issue related to CBDR-RC that India brought up repeatedly at Bonn relates to the agenda item titled “matters relating to science and review.” India sought a recognition of the global carbon budget and that pathways outlined in the IPCC reports on mitigation do not take equity into account. Developed countries, the US and EU in particular, were not in favour of holding such discussions. Cristián Retamal, an advisor to the Chilean delegation at Bonn, told CarbonCopy that India spoke strongly on issues of equity and the carbon budgets. Referring to the Climate Equity Monitor developed by the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, he said equity is an important aspect of mitigation ambition in the context of the Paris regime because “not all countries have the same responsibilities and capabilities.” Other equity monitors like Paris Equity Check and GGCC at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, too, highlight the need to take equity into account while analysing country-specific mitigation pathways. “Tools like Climate Action Tracker assume that all countries have to undertake the same amount of effort, which minimises equity and a right to development in such geo-political discussions because who has to increase ambition is a historical fight and a political one,” Retamal explained. “And to unlock discussions on mitigation, we must address equity,” he added. At the closing plenary of the SBSTA, Richa Sharma, head of India’s delegation, noted with disappointment how agreements reached at Bonn do not recognise the concept of a global carbon budget that is “foundational” to ascertaining past, present and future responsibilities, which even IPCC reports have spoken of. She also added that IPCC pathways are neither equitable nor is there any explanation of regional assumptions underlying the pathways. In response, SBSTA chair Tosi Mpanu Mpanu said he agreed with the statements made and also that there was a possibility to go beyond what was finally agreed to at Bonn and he now hopes that outcomes at Sharm-el-Sheik will be “more ambitious.” The final agreement at Bonn on the mitigation work programme is limited to diplomatic language like the subsidiary bodies taking note of “constructive discussions” held under this joint agenda item during this session that fostered “enhanced understanding.” The subsidiary bodies agreed to work on the programme with the hope of recommending a draft decision for adoption at COP27 in Egypt. The US employs word play to muddy the waters Apart from parties, civil society, too, was frustrated with how negotiations on the mitigation work programme played out. “What I expected was a collective sense of ambition to close the mitigation gap in cutting 45% emissions by 2030 and limiting warming to 1.5°C. But what we’re seeing is a lot of political games,” said Eddy Perez, International Climate Diplomacy Manager, Climate Action Network, Canada. For starters, he explained, there was a battle of words to single out countries by using terms like “major emitters”, which refers to China and India. An informal note prepared by co-facilitators of the mitigation programme on June 9 references the term “major emitters.” But the problem, Perez added, was not the word in particular “but the intention behind it.” “The US is using language which should be attributed to themselves and projecting it onto developing countries,” said Katherine Robinson, Head of Campaigns, Natural Justice (South Africa). She explained that although emerging economies should take deliberate action towards a just energy transition, “developed countries who have historic responsibility must demonstrate solidarity rather than gaslighting all of us.” Pays to note, there is no legal basis for terms like “major emitters,” be it as part of UNFCCC or the Paris Agreement, that only recognise Annex I countries, which includes members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 1992 and economies-in-transition; Annex II (OECD countries in Annex I, excluding those in transition) and non-Annex I parties that are mostly developing countries. Jazmin Rocco Predassi of Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN), Argentina, pointed out that the mid-century carbon neutrality is a global goal. This means the developed world has to reach the goal much sooner than developing countries. But, she added, there is “a huge gap” in mitigation ambition, finance delivery and technology transfer to support less carbon-intensive development pathways in the developing world. The “gaslighting” seen during negotiations on mitigation ambition applies to finance, too. “If you cannot put finance on the table, how do you expect developing countries to cut emissions, adapt on top of dealing with the loss and damage caused by historic emissions,” Robinson added. On June 14, the co-facilitators prepared another informal note on the mitigation work programme on mitigation listed six disclaimers. Beginning with the note having “no formal status,” to stating clearly that nothing in the note must be construed as amending the Convention or the Paris Agreement. The note also expresses that it “does not represent agreed views, ideas or text” and neither does it draw any conclusions or make any judgements. And while generalised disclaimers are not uncommon, this one still stands out for exhaustiveness, a sign of how contested certain core issues were. Ultimately, both the informal notes were dropped and are not part of the final agreement at Bonn which is again a sign of serious differences between parties. Switzerland, Norway, EU and the US block meaningful discussions on loss and damage At the opening plenary on June 6, loss and damage was not adopted as part of the formal agenda. And while discussions were held on the topic, they hit a roadblock, too. Harjeet Singh, senior advisor, Climate Action Network International, explained that despite acknowledging the finance gap to address loss and damage caused by climate change induced storms, drought and rising seas, the European Union, Switzerland, Norway and the US, blocked any discussion on the possibility of establishing a financing facility. And so, the discussions became a talk shop on issues like governing structures of the Santiago Network without any concrete outcome on establishing a loss and damage facility with financing mechanisms. At the closing plenary, Antigua and Barbuda, speaking for the Alliance of Small Island States, said the processes under loss and damage are “out of step” and “progress is too slow.” Zambia, speaking for the Africa Group, too, expressed concerns over lack of progress on loss and damage, while Pakistan, speaking for the G77 and China group, noted how discussions on loss and damage remained “stymied.” A push for private finance The other important agenda item at Bonn was the work programme on the new collective quantified goal on climate finance (NCQG). The aim is to set a new goal on finance in terms of amounts required, roadmap for delivery of finance, instruments to be used etc. And two issues that came up were related to inadequacy of $100 billion and questionable reliance on private financing. At COP21, parties to the UNFCCC decided to set up a new financing goal “from a floor of $100 billion per year, taking into account the needs and priorities of developing countries.” As regards what “needs and priorities” means, the UNFCCC Standing Committee on Finance released a report last year that stated that developing countries need $5.8-5.9 trillion upto 2030 to finance around half the climate action listed in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Pakistan, speaking for G77 and China, said the level of the goal must be based on science and also on the needs and priorities identified by developing countries. While the Pakistani delegation pressed on with the need to prioritise the quantum of the goal, any recognition of such actual needs of developing countries remained questionable at Bonn. “There were commercial banks in the room during the NCQG discussions, and a corresponding push for private finance and mitigation finance,” said Avantika Goswami, climate policy researcher and programme manager at Center for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based environmental research and advocacy organisation. Terming it a “disappointing direction” for the talks to proceed in, Goswami stressed on a need for more grant-based public climate finance, as well as more adaptation finance. “As someone commented at the Bonn conference, if the loan sharks are in the room, there is little hope to chalk out a just and equity-based finance goal,” she said. According to experts, developed countries’ push for private finance is a solution of the past to a finance problem that is current and ongoing. The EU’s 2022 Climate Diplomacy document, for example, seeks to “leverage private and public funding for energy projects” to help developing countries achieve their sustainable development goals. This takes away developing countries’ democratic ownership of climate finance strategies. The inadequacy and inaccessibility of climate finance, flagged even in developed economies, is only magnified when seen in the context of developing nations. Add to this, the effects of existing climate vulnerabilities in much of the developing world. Experts have previously pointed out how climate vulnerability erodes a country’s sovereign credit ratings and results in lack of credit-worthiness, higher costs of borrowing and, in many cases, defaults, all of which are not ideal scenarios for investment flow from the private sector. Other issues include uneven distribution via private financing that focuses only on large, emerging economies and severely low funding for adaptation activities that take needs of developing countries into account but aren’t considered “bankable projects”. Adaptation India, speaking for BASIC, underscored the need to operationalise the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA). Saudi Arabia, speaking for the Arab group, too noted the importance of implementing GGA while Bolivia, speaking for the Like-minded Developing Countries (LMDCs) called for “balanced progress” on all issues, meaning equal weightage for mitigation and adaptation in particular. A concern developing country parties had is that developed countries were prioritising mitigation at the cost of adaptation. The final agreement invites parties and observers to submit views for upcoming workshops on GGA and requests SB chairs to provide concept notes and guiding questions on the theme and areas of each workshop. It was also agreed that such workshops “be more interactive,” have contributions from practitioners and experts from relevant organizations, UNFCCC bodies and the IPCC, “ensuring equitable geographical representation, as appropriate.” Apart from GGA, another item related to adaptation on the agenda at Bonn was a discussion on “gaps and needs and the implementation of national adaptation plans.” At the closing plenary of the SBI, Nabeel Munir, chair of the G77 and China group, intervened on behalf of the group to register a “serious concern about the multitude of challenges” developing countries face in accessing financial support for the formulation and implementation of national adaptation plans. It’s an issue the group has been raising throughout the session, he said, but one which has not received the attention it deserves. They now hope Sharm-el-Sheik will deliver a substantive outcome on financing national adaptation plans in developing countries, he added. A stage set for COP27 in Egypt Speaking for Egypt as the incoming COP27 Presidency, Ambassador Wael Aboulmagd said that while some progress was achieved at Bonn, “others continue to be affected by divergent views, and hence will require more intersessional work to ensure that the work in Sharm El Sheikh will start from the most advanced point possible.” As for loss and damage, Ambassador Aboulmagd called for a recognition of the needs of countries and communities by working towards achieving progress on loss and damage. He also added that parties should refrain from dealing with climate change as a zero-sum game in terms of Global North versus Global South or pitting mitigation against adaptation. “The issue of climate change must be the area where we commit to working together and where we demonstrate unity against this existential threat and show leadership as we move forward to address it,” he said.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

What India Could Learn From China On Pollution Control

There was a time not long ago when Beijing and New Delhi were rivals for the unappetizing title of the world’s most polluted megacity. Since that time, however, Beijing has taken dramatic steps to clean up its air with an “Action Plan on Prevention and Control of Air Pollution,” featuring well-defined targets to control pollution. That is hardly the case in Delhi, where an alarming report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago recently revealed that residents of India’s capital city will die 10 years earlier than they should if current air pollution levels persist. Globally, air pollution reduces 2.2 years of life expectancy, relative to a world that follows the World Health Organization guidelines. But India’s statistic is a disconcerting five times that. According to the new WHO guidelines, the average annual PM2.5 concentration should be no higher than five micrograms per cubic meter. However, in Delhi, the world’s most polluted capital, this figure is 107 micrograms per cubic meter, or more than 21 times the recommended limit. Breathing in Delhi’s polluted air, adds WHO, is equal to smoking 22 cigarettes a day. Doctors say Delhi’s air is having a devastating impact on citizens’ health, triggering deaths due to cancer, stroke, asthma, and worsening of Covid19 symptoms. Four out of every 10 children in the capital also suffer from severe lung problems. The EPI study attributes Delhi’s pollution to industrialization, economic development, and population growth over the past two decades triggering skyrocketing energy demand and fossil fuel consumption. Delhi also suffers from what a University of Surrey study describes as a “toxic blend of geography, growth, poor energy sources and unfavorable weather that boosts its dangerously high levels of air pollution.” Classified as the world’s fifth megacity, Delhi’s exponential growth has been fueled by fume-spewing industries, an influx of migrants, and a dramatic upward spiral in the number of motor vehicles. The number of road vehicles in Delhi is predicted to surge from 4.7 million in 2010 to nearly 26 million by 2030. The city’s total energy consumption – supplied mostly by polluting coal and thermal power plants – rose 57 percent from 2001 to 2011. “The city’s air is a slow poison that is seriously messing with people’s health,” said Suresh Mandana, HOD of pulmonology, Kailash Hospital, Noida, Uttar Pradesh. ”The citizens are getting exposed daily to noxious pollutants-laden air for long hours. This is especially ruinous for little children and senior citizens.” A stifling heatwave hit northern India as early as March this year due to pollution and the impact of climate change, reported studies, with temperatures soaring to a 122-year high destroying crops and impacting crop patterns, and sending food inflation soaring. Given the widespread and irreversible impact of pollution on people’s health and the country’s economy, environmentalists say Delhi could well take a leaf out of Beijing’s playbook, successfully managing to reduce, if not eliminate, its spiraling pollution levels. Not long ago, Delhi and Beijing competed with each other for the infamous tag of being the world’s most polluted city. However, while Beijing’s air has begun to improve steadily through strict measures adopted by the government, Delhi’s has continued to worsen. An initiative similar to Beijing’s ‘Action Plan on Prevention and Control of Air Pollution’, which has well-defined targets to control pollution, could work in Delhi too, said Pratik Mittal, an environmentalist formerly with the Central Pollution Control Board. From 2010 to 2019, outdoor PM2.5 levels in Beijing plummeted by 30 percent, he added Beijing’s plan defined 10 measures to guide the development of regional action plans including “the development of integrated control efforts for reducing multiple pollutants; establishing regional coordination mechanisms; improving environmental regulations and enforcement; establishing monitoring, warning and emergency response systems; clarifying responsibilities of different organs of the government; accelerating technological transformation; promotion of energy-saving and environment-friendly technologies; upgradation of industrial ecological restoration, reducing coal consumption, management of urban transport technology; and shifting of industries.” Environmentalists assert that like China, Delhi should also have a formal mechanism of issuing pollution-related alerts to its citizens. “Authorities in Beijing put out an ‘orange alert,’ warning citizens to stay inside and suspending outdoor activities in schools whenever pollution spikes. In fact, Beijing has a four-level alarm system that imposes restrictions on outdoor activities, use of personal vehicles, and emissions from factories and power plants depending on how poor the air quality is. We should do the same, especially in winters, when Delhi’s infamous `smog’ hits the capital city,” Mittal said. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of the Center for Science and Environment, said that alongside strong steps to bring down pollution levels, bolstering the existing public transport system is also critical. “Rationing the use of two-wheelers is also important,” she said. “The two-wheelers comprise 54 percent of Delhi’s vehicular fleet and making them follow the odd-even formula will be vital to reducing pollution levels further.” In 2019, the Indian government declared a "war on pollution" and launched its National Clean Air Program with the goal of reducing 2017 particulate pollution levels by 20 to 30 percent by 2024. Since then, India has adopted fuel emissions standards that are on par with the European Union standards. Although the NCAP targets are non-binding, achieving and sustaining such a reduction would increase the country's national life expectancy by 1.6 years and by as much as 3.2 years for the residents of Delhi, the researchers said. However, experts say that in India pollution policies and plans don’t work optimally as the menace is compounded by politicking. Delhi’s AAP government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is invariably at odds with neighboring governments from Haryana and Punjab states, with each blaming the other for the rise in the region’s pollution. Others point to how a multiplicity of authorities in Delhi ruins any chances of tackling the city’s pollution. Given that such political problems will invariably persist, Leo Saldanha of the pan-India non-profit Environment Support Group suggests that climate-friendly steps be adopted in the meantime. “Creating open green spaces, urban forests, and improving the public transport system to reduce dependency on private vehicles can go a long way in tackling the pollution menace,” he said. Other viable steps to address pollution include sensitizing the citizens about how they can minimize their carbon footprint as well as strengthening laws to penalize polluting industries heavily, he concluded.

• Sustainable Food Systems

Can Natural Farming Improve Farmers’ Health?

KANGRA, HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA—Babita Rana, 37, lives on a 3-acre farm nestled deep within the folds of the Himalayas in the village of Mundla in India’s northern Himachal Pradesh state. Until 2017, she suffered frequent spells of dizziness, nausea and vomiting. Nirmala Devi, her mother-in-law, had battled severe skin allergies. Doctors told the women their ailments were caused by exposure to the synthetic pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers they sprayed on their fields. “I felt like we were poisoning our crops and bodies. We had to stop,” Rana says, sitting inside her modest house overlooking the fields and a cowshed. There are close to 93 million agricultural households—or nearly 150 million farmers—in India. And about two-third of them own small parcels like Rana's family, with close to 98% of all agriculture reliant on agrochemicals. In 2017, the Ranas broke from the norm of using agrochemicals and switched to natural farming methods. They prepared homemade chemical-free fertilizers using cow dung, mulch and herbs to be sprayed on the fields. They also cultivated different crops on the same patch of land using an ecological and mixed farming approach. A few years later, their gamble paid off: After an initial setback in yield, the crops as well as the women’s health improved. The International Labor Organization says agriculture workers run twice the risk of dying on the job as workers in other sectors. The WHO estimates that each year 2-5 million workers suffer pesticide poisoning, of which 40,000 are fatal. India’s media have covered headline-grabbing cases of the costs of pesticide use in recent years, including: the deaths of 50+ farmers due to accidental pesticide poisonings in Maharashtra in 2017, skin ailments and respiratory issues among tea garden workers in West Bengal, and high cancer rates in the agricultural belt in Punjab. In response, a small but growing number of Indian farmers, often encouraged by government programs and farmers groups, are adopting natural cultivation methods. At the state level, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Sikkim have launched natural farming programs. At the grassroots level, citizen groups like the Maharashtra Association of Pesticide Poisoned Persons (MAPPP) are advocating for ecologically sensitive cultivation models. Farmers like Rana believe natural farming will save their land, improve their health, and prevent occupational health hazards. Highly Poisonous Pesticides In Use Exposure to pesticides while mixing, storing, or spraying them can lead to health issues among farmers, explains Nikhil Srinivasapura Venkateshmurthy, MD, senior research scientist with the Public Health Foundation of India. Acute effects of pesticide exposure include sweating, frequent urination, itching, vomiting, or dizziness; whereas chronic effects manifest as diabetes or cancer. Every year, an estimated 145 million farmers—nearly all of the population working in agriculture—suffer nonfatal unintended acute pesticide poisoning, estimates show. Nearly 7,402 people died due to “accidental intake of insecticides or pesticides” in 2021, government data show. “Pesticide management in India is pathetic,” says Vineet Kumar, senior researcher at Sustainable Food Systems, Center for Science and Environment. “There is no one to show a farmer what pesticide to use for which crop. They make a cocktail of pesticides and spray it.” The nonprofit Pesticide Action Network India (which facilitated the formation of MAPPP) has identified over 110 highly hazardous pesticides used in India. “Some of these are banned in the countries they are manufactured and exported from,” says Narasimha Reddy Donthi, PhD, a PAN advisor. A Pitch For Natural Farming Groups like PAN and MAPPP have been working to inform farmers about pesticides’ ill-effects and share alternative cultivation methods. A major benefit of the natural approach is that it saves the cost of pesticides, especially important in India where nearly half of Indian farmers are in debt, and tens of thousands have killed themselves because of debt. The Andhra Pradesh Community-Managed Natural Farming (APCNF), a state program that started in 2016, not only promotes the low-cost model; it also explains how reduced pesticide use benefits farmers’ health. Nearly 750,000 farmers were practicing natural farming under APCNF by 2021. In Himachal Pradesh, nearly 171,000 farmers, mostly women, have joined the state-run Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana (PK3Y), which promotes natural farming, says Rakesh Kanwar, Agriculture Secretary for the state and project director of PK3Y. “It is safe to assume that adoption of natural farming here is driven by women,” explains Kanwar. Women see and suffer the health hazards of chemicals and realize the importance of healthy and safe food, he adds. Research in other countries has shown that women farmers are more interested in environmentally friendly farming practices compared with male farmers. Rana says her family—and their land—are finally cured since the family stopped using agrochemicals. More than a dozen farmers in Himachal Pradesh shared similar experiences with this reporter. “Can you imagine what was happening to us when we ate food grown with all those chemicals?” Rana says. Not Everyone’s Convinced In India, only 2% farmland, or around 2.78 million hectare (ha), was under organic cultivation in 2020. Demand for organic food is concentrated in urban areas. “Sometimes pesticide use affects entire villages [making them sick]. But people are hesitant to move to natural farming. It’s not easy,” Donthi says. There are several social, economic and technical barriers to adoption of natural farming. For example, Rana has an octogenarian neighbor who suffers skin ailments caused by pesticide exposure but refuses to stop using the chemicals. Rana hasn’t succeeded in convincing him. “He is afraid he’ll lose his crops, and the yield will drop,” she says. His fears aren’t entirely misplaced. Difficult Transitions Experts warn that a sudden shift to natural farming can lead to low yields in the initial years. In Sri Lanka, agricultural output plummeted after synthetic agrochemicals were banned and a mandatory organic farming diktat was introduced in 2021. Moreover, natural farming is labor intensive, the cost of which isn’t factored in by its proponents, Kumar says. Rana and her family often can’t keep up with the demands of their agroecological farm growing mixed crops. During key sowing or harvest seasons, they rely on hired help. Rana also spends several days preparing farm inputs, but she says the extra work is worth it. “At least the food I give my children is poison-free,” Rana says.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

IIT-Kanpur study to help review air quality standards for first time since 2009

NEW DELHI: A recent RTI reply from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has revealed that a one-year study by IIT-Kanpur has been sanctioned to review the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) and any changes to the current national standards will depend on the findings of the study. India had last revised its NAAQS in 2009 and since WHO revised its guidelines last year, experts have been calling for revision of the standards. For instance, the annual national standard for PM10 and PM2.5 is still 60 and 40 micrograms per cubic metre, respectively, as against WHO’s safe limit of 15 micrograms per cubic metre for PM10 and 5 micrograms per cubic metre for PM2.5. “Any changes to the NAAQS notified in 2009 shall be subject to the findings of the study. The project shall be executed by a joint team of health and air quality experts led by IIT-Kanpur under the overall supervision of a steering committee constituted for review of the NAAQS by CPCB. Further, draft report shall be uploaded for public and expert comments,” said RTI reply. According to an MoU, which was signed between CPCB and IIT-Kanpur in December last year, the expected outcomes from the study are health risk evaluation of pollutants, revised NAAQS, guidelines for determining non-attainment areas and cost benefit analysis of implementation of standards. The study will review existing standards for carbon monoxide, lead, oxides of nitrogen, ozone, sulphur dioxide, PM10, PM2.5, ammonia, benzene, benzo (a) pyrene, arsenic and nickel. Avinash Chanchal, who filed the RTI query, said, “There is no ‘safe’ level of air pollution. There is substantial scientific evidence that even low levels of exposure to air pollution shorten lives and have serious effects on public health. Last year, revised WHO air quality guidelines also indicated that our current national ambient air quality standards are inadequate and need to be revised.” He is also the campaign manager at Greenpeace India, which submitted over 10,000 postcards and signatures to CPCB in April demanding amendments to the air quality standards. “All non-attainment cities are still not meeting the current national air quality standards. Such cities should express the ambition to move to the NAAQS first and then should have a time-bound plan to move towards the WHO guidelines,” said Chanchal. He added, “The revised standards will be meaningless if they are not supported by clean air action by the government. It is high time to implement effective policies to reduce air pollution, including phasing out fossil fuels and prioritising clean energy and clean transportation.” Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, “It is important to review the standards in light of the new scientific and health evidences as well as the diverse air pollution situation in different regions of India. Some pollutants may require tighter benchmarks and improved measurement strategies to protect public health.”

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Dirty air ‘cuts South Asia life expectancy by 5 years’

Bangladesh emerges as the world’s most polluted country as China rings in at 10th despite clean air gains. People living in South Asia could lose about five years of their lives on average unless air quality improves to WHO-prescribed levels, according to a new assessment. Released Tuesday by the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute, the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) report for 2022 says that air pollution is the biggest threat to human life globally. The Index finds that particulate air pollution takes 2.2 years off global average life expectancy comparable to that of smoking, and far exceeding that of alcohol use, unsafe water, HIV/AIDS and terrorism. Despite ambitious schemes to control aerial pollutants, some 510 million residents of the Indo-Gangetic plains of northern India stand to lose as much as 7.6 years of life expectancy, if the current high levels of pollution persist, according to a media release on the report. The title of the world’s most polluted country now falls to Bangladesh where air pollution shortens average life expectancy by 6.7 years with the most polluted districts showing lives shortened by 8.1 years. All of Bangladesh’s 161 million people live in areas where the annual average particulate pollution level exceeds the WHO ideal as well as the country’s own national standard. While the air over Bangladesh is 15 times worse than the WHO standard, two other countries along the Indo-Gangetic plains, Nepal and Pakistan, have air quality that is nine times worse than the WHO-prescribed safe limit of five micrograms per cubic metre. Air quality scientists like Bhupendra Das, director of Nepal Energy and Environment Development Services, Kathmandu, lays the blame on the increase in all kinds of combustion in the region as part of development. Delhi shut down coal-fired power plants, banned dirty fuels, scaled-up use of natural gas for industry and for public transport but the ever-worsening situation shows that the time has come for even more difficult and inconvenient solutions. Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment “The rapid increase in combustion technology [such as in transport], open burning sources [such as agricultural fields and forests] … and trans-boundary air pollution, are all contributing to the rise in air pollution in South Asia,” says Das. Residents of India’s Delhi stand to gain 10 years of life expectancy if levels of PM 2.5 (particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns) are brought down to the five micrograms per cubic metre target. “The latest Air Quality Life Index sends out an important policy message that if we, in the Indo-Gangetic plains, including northern India and the adjacent countries, clean up the air we will live longer and improve overall wellbeing and productivity,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi. In 2019, the Indian government launched the ambitious National Clean Air Programme, to improve air quality in over 100 cities across the country, but three years down the line the situation in Delhi and most other cities appears to have only worsened. Since 2013, according to the AQLI, about 44 per cent of the world’s increase in pollution has come from India. “Delhi shut down coal-fired power plants, banned dirty fuels, scaled-up use of natural gas for industry and for public transport but the ever-worsening situation shows that the time has come for even more difficult and inconvenient solutions,” explained Roy Chowdhury. Michael Greenstone, creator of the Air Quality Life Index and director of the Energy Policy Institute, said strong policies, “supported by an equally strong willingness for change”, had successfully reduced air pollution in many countries, such as the US. According to the report, despite the pandemic lockdowns, there was barely any improvement in pollution levels during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, underscoring the long-term persistent health threats. Almost all of South-East Asia is now considered to have unsafe levels of pollution. Residents living in the most polluted parts and in the surrounding cities of Mandalay, Hanoi and Jakarta are expected to lose three to four years of life expectancy on average. Similarly, almost all of Central and West Africa are considered unsafe, with those living in the most polluted areas expected to see their lives shorten by an average of five years. China, among the top five most polluted countries for the last two decades, has reduced its PM 2.5 pollution by 28 per cent so that its people can expect to live 1.4 years longer, according to the AQLI. The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area saw a 33 per cent reduction in pollution, translating into a gain of 2.6 years of life expectancy for some 109 million residents. Despite the significant improvements, China still ranks as the world’s tenth most polluted country assessed by AQLI.

• Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy

Explained: Why is single-use plastic being banned in India from July 1?

If not recycled, plastic can take a thousand years to decompose, according to UN Environment, the United Nations Environment Programme. At landfills, it disintegrates into small fragments and leaches carcinogenic metals into groundwater. Beginning July 1, single-use plastic will be banned in India. The ban includes manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of single-use plastic items. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has recently issued a list of measures to impose the ban. Single-use plastic As the name suggests, single-use plastics (SUPs) are those that are discarded after one-time use. Besides the ubiquitous plastic bags, SUPs include takeaway food containers, disposable cutlery, straws, and stirrers, processed food packets and wrappers, cotton bud sticks, etc. Of these, foamed products such as cutlery, plates, and cups are considered the most lethal to the environment. If not recycled, plastic can take a thousand years to decompose, according to UN Environment, the United Nations Environment Programme. At landfills, it disintegrates into small fragments and leaches carcinogenic metals into groundwater. Plastic is highly inflammable — a reason why landfills are frequently ablaze, releasing toxic gases into the environment. It floats on the sea surface and ends up clogging airways of marine animals. Plastic waste management in India The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 notified by the Centre called for a ban on “non-recyclable and multi-layered” packaging by March 2018, and a ban on carry bags of thickness less than 50 microns (which is about the thickness of a strand of human hair). The Rules were amended in 2018, with changes that activists say favoured the plastic industry and allowed manufacturers an escape route. The 2016 Rules did not mention SUPs. On World Environment Day in 2018, India pledged to phase out SUPs by 2022. In August last year, Centre announced a ban on single-use plastic beginning July 2022. A notification by the Environment Ministry on Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, said: “The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of… single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene commodities shall be prohibited with effect from the 1st July, 2022.” Items covered in the ban The items that will be banned are – Earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (thermocol) for decoration, plastic plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons and knives, straw, trays, wrapping films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100-microns and stirrers. The ban will not apply to commodities made of compostable plastic. Size of the problem There is no comprehensive data on the volume of the total plastic waste in the country. A 2015 study by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) surveyed 60 cities and extrapolated the data to estimate that the country generated around 26,000 tonnes of plastic waste daily in 2011-12, equivalent to the weight of 4,700 elephants. About 70% of the plastic waste was collected; 60% was recycled. It is likely that the actual daily generation of plastic waste is much more. According to the Plastic Waste Management Rules, all states and UTs are required to send annual data to the CPCB; however, many states and UTs have failed to comply. Recycling of waste About 94% of plastics are recyclable. India recycles about 60%; the rest goes to landfills, the sea, and waste-to-energy plants. Most experts view recycling as an interim measure until plastic is completely phased out from daily use. “Plastics have an end of life too. They can’t be treated more than four-five times,” says Dinesh Raj Bandela, deputy programme manager (plastics) at the Centre for Science and Environment. The CPCB warns that recycled products are at times more harmful to the environment, as they contain additives and colours.

• Urban Lab

New Delhi pollution cutting lives short

Air pollution is shortening lives in India's capital New Delhi. A new report from the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago has ranked India as the second most polluted country in the world after Bangladesh. Smita Sharma reports.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi: To curb pollution, transport dept mulls 4-month ban on commercial diesel vehicles

Usually, entry of such vehicles, from trucks to mini tempos, is banned for only 15-20 days either in November or December. As part of its pollution control campaign this year, the transport department has planned to ban the entry of commercial diesel vehicles, including heavy motor vehicles, into Delhi from November to February. Usually, entry of such vehicles, from trucks to mini tempos, is banned for only 15-20 days either in November or December. A proposal in this regard has been sent to Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot for approval. “Diesel-based vehicles and heavy motor vehicles are largely responsible for causing pollution in Delhi. Every year, entry of trucks is banned following an increase in levels of PM 2.5/PM 10 or following directions issued by the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) or on orders of the National Green Tribunal. So, this year, the transport department has taken preventative steps in advance instead of waiting for air quality levels to worsen,” said a senior official. According to officials, around 70,000-80,000 trucks enter the national capital every day. Vehicles that will be allowed into the city include CNG-run commercial vehicles; e-trucks; all trucks carrying essential goods such as vegetables, fruits, grains, eggs, ice, milk and other food items; and tankers carrying petroleum products, said an official. “Once the proposal is approved by the transport minister, preparations will begin and restrictions will either start on October 1 or November 1 and will continue for four months,” added the official. Truckers and commercial vehicle associations opposed the proposal, stating that those who deal with heavy vehicles will have to bear losses worth crores. “Banning entry of trucks in Delhi for 15-20 days is acceptable, but four months is a long period and will impact transporters. Businesses will be seriously affected. This will also impact the government’s revenue and might culminate in a hike in prices of food, vegetables and other items,” said Rajendra Kapoor, president of All India Motor and Goods Transport Association. He added, “Why is the ban only for trucks? Why don’t you ban other diesel vehicles in Delhi? If diesel is a prominent pollutant, manufacturing of diesel vehicles should be banned. This is not a solution.” Arun Sharma, president of Delhi Transportation Association, said, “How will people buy CNG vehicles if the price is nearing the cost of diesel? Due to the frequent rise in CNG prices, people are selling CNG trucks and opting for diesel ones. Truckers can take the Delhi-Chandigarh or Jammu road or any expressway but some routes are through Delhi and this ban will cause major chaos.” Officials, however, said trucks can bypass the city and reach their destination via the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways. Experts, too, said the plan was not feasible. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said: “Ban on the entry of trucks into the city is not a sustainable solution. Instead, the government should focus more on infrastructure and measures should be taken to increase use of public transport system, walking and cycling facilities, and control vehicles inside the city. Delhi has 3 crore cars, so measures such as a parking policy should be implemented.”

• Director General Office

Wildlife & biodiversity: Reset to restore

Biodiversity conservation is an absolute imperative. And this was clear to the world in 1992, when it came together to agree on the Convention on Biological Diversity. It was also clear that the conservation of bioresources, particularly its utilisation, required active involvement of local communities; they needed to receive a share of the profits earned from the use of their resources and knowledge. This is the reason the world in 2010 agreed on an instrument, called Nagoya Protocol, for fair and equitable sharing of benefits with communities. But in 2022 — 30 years since the convention — the global community is still working to update the framework and to recommit for the conservation of flora and fauna. We still do not understand what needs to be done to avert biodiversity extinction and benefit those who conserve it. India has an exemplary record in putting together the legal and administrative framework for biodiversity conservation and to share the benefits of knowledge with communities. But sadly, this is where it stops. In 2002, the country adopted the Biological Diversity Act and put in place an elaborate framework to protect bioresources and to share benefits with traditional knowledge-holders: the National Biodiversity Authority has been established; each state has its own biodiversity board; and each village its biodiversity management committee (BMC). These BMCs are required to prepare people's biodiversity register and has the powers to impose charges and fines for extraction of resources found in their village. However, Down To Earth's recent analysis finds that the entire effort to share benefits with communities has been reduced to, at best, a meaningless bureaucratic exercise. We know that the system of access and benefit sharing can work only if the knowledge-holders are recognised; if the traders and manufacturing companies that use their knowledge are held liable for payments, and this payment is then transferred to the community or the knowledge-holders. But we find that no data is available with states—other than a few—on the money received from companies and traders for access and benefit sharing. So, it is not clear if all companies have paid for the use of resources or knowledge, on what basis, and how much. In the case of Irula Cooperative — traditional knowledge holders of the method of collecting snake venom for pharmaceutical products — only one company agreed to pay but even that was not fulfilled. Then, worse, when we contacted state boards for information, we were told that the money received has not been disbursed to communities. The reason is there is no information available about the knowledge-holders. The law provides that if the information is not available, then funds should be spent on conservation in the region where the knowledge-bioresources come from. But state boards told us that the funds are lying unutilised. The people's biodiversity registers — key to recording information so that benefits can be secured — have been created as per the directions of the National Green Tribunal. And given the speed of this "exercise" — as many as 266,135 registers have been made within two years — the quality of these registers is poor and defeats the very purpose of documentation of biodiversity. Even all this will not add up unless we can resolve how the bioresources in the wild and under strict prohibitory regulations — which do now allow for their cultivation, collection or trade — will be made part of these efforts to conserve resources through their utilisation. In the famous case of the Kani tribals and their knowledge of Arogyapacha, a medicinal plant, this was the fatal flaw. When their knowledge was used to develop a pharmaceutical product, it was agreed that the sales revenue would be shared with the tribals. But then the question was how the plant could be collected — it was found in the wild and on lands under the forest department. The Kani tribals were denied permission to collect or even grow the plant, saying it was endangered. Cases were filed against the tribals for collection and cultivation. So, the entire work to use the traditional knowledge to benefit communities and, through this, build a conservation movement was futile. Today, restrictions on the tribals to go into the forests have increased. This means their younger generations can no longer identify the plant. The uncoded knowledge is being lost. In this way biodiversity will be lost. As the world meets to discuss the next decade of biodiversity conservation, lessons from the past will be critical. Not only do we need to protect bioresources in the wild — in protected areas — but also a vibrant system to capture local and indigenous knowledge and to ensure that people benefit from conservation as well as utilisation of resources. For this, we need voices and experiences from the ground so that policy is smart and informed. Otherwise, policies will be only on paper. (Writer is Director General of CSE and editor of Down To Earth, an environmentalist who pushes for changes in policies, practices and mindsets; Courtesy: https://www.downtoearth.org.in)

• Urban Lab

Problem Increasing Due To Spread Of Toxic Ozone This Summer: CSE Report

According to this report, ozone falls in the category of a very toxic gas that can cause asthma and respiratory diseases in people The latest report of the Center for Science and Environment (CSE) says, the problem is increasing due to the spread of toxic ozone in this summer season. According to this report, ozone falls in the category of a very toxic gas that can cause asthma and respiratory diseases in people. On an average, 16 stations in Delhi-NCR were higher than the daily norm in March-April and this is an increase of 33 per cent over the previous year. The summer of 2022 has broken many records this year, and has also created a new history in terms of heat. Along with the rising heat, this year has also seen a massive increase in ozone, which is making Delhi's air more toxic. In terms of increase in ozone gas, the capital Delhi ranks among the most polluted cities in India, while the country's financial capital Mumbai is at number two. In this list Kolkata comes third, Hyderabad fourth, Chennai fifth and Bangalore sixth. CSE's Research and Advocacy Executive Director Anumita Roy Chowdhury says that even if we bring control in the amount of pollution spreading in the air, still we can not get rid of the ozone growth at the ground level. Despite getting many alerts, this issue of ozone pollution is not being given importance and if steps are not taken on this problem in time, then it will become a big problem for the health of the people. According to the State of Global Air Report in the year 2020, not only pollution has increased due to ozone in India, but many people have also lost their lives. Usually the effect of ozone is less at night after sunset, but in Delhi NCR, the effect of ozone is relatively high even at night. The effect of ozone has been observed at night in Mundka in Delhi, Loni and Vasundhara in Ghaziabad and Knowledge Park 3 in Greater Noida. There is a need for immediate action on the rapidly increasing ozone gas in India. It has become very important to control the pollution caused by industrial factories, vehicular fumes. Along with this, there is a need to take necessary steps regarding this issue in the national level running program against pollution.