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Down To Earth

6 Simple, Pocket-Friendly Tips to Maintain a Healthy Diet

ollowing a healthy diet can be tricky as well as expensive. However, maintaining a well-balanced diet is of utmost importance as nearly 1.7 million Indians die every year due to diseases caused by dietary risk factors and obesity, says ‘State of India’s Environment 2022: In Figures’, the statistical summary published every year by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The data mentioned in the CSE report also reveals that 71 per cent of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet. However, a diet which consists of fruits, vegetables and whole grains is very important to reduce the chances of respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer, stroke and coronary heart disease. The good news is, there are many ways you can follow a healthy diet without taking too much financial stress.

Down To Earth

Study Finds Severe Malnutrition Spike in Half of India in 5 Years

Acute malnutrition in preschool children increased in 341 out of 707 districts across 36 states and UTs between 2016 and 2021. An analysis of district-level data published in a reputed health journal shows a worrying rise in severe wasting in almost half of Indian districts even as the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 showed only an overall marginal increase in levels of severe acute malnutrition among children in the country. According to the analysis, titled ‘Acute level of severe malnutrition in Indian districts’, between 2016 and 2021, severe wasting, or severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in preschool children (aged 0-59 months) increased in 341 districts out of 707 across 36 states and Union Territories. The analysis, done by Sabu Kochupurackal Ulahannan, Alby Wilson, Deepshikha Chhetri, Biju Soman and NS Prashanth, was published by BMJ Global Health, an online peer-reviewed journal that publishes all aspects of global health. The paper is based on the study of district-level data of NFHS-5. “Although the prevalence trend in SAM between NFHS-4 and NFHS-5 shows an almost stagnant position at the national level, the national average hides the worsening of SAM at several individual districts due to the improvement in other districts,” the analysis states. Between NFHS-4 (2015-2016) and NFHS-5, the overall increase in severe acute malnourishment was a marginal 0.2%. In 2015-2016, the level of SAM was 7.5%, which increased to 7.7% in 2019-2021. The level of severe wasting among kids has been on a consistent rise in the last two decades. It was 6.6% in 2005-2006, as per NFHS-4 data. In the latest NFHS, Assam’s Karimganj district reported the highest increase (24.4%) and most critical level (30.5%) of SAM. Other districts with critical and increased levels are Dang (22.2%), Gujarat; Sheohar (21.4%), Bihar; Saraikela Kharsawan (23%), Jharkhand; Chandrapur (21.8%) and Nagpur (20%), Maharashtra; and Panchmahal (19.4%), Gujarat. The paper further identifies as many as 115 districts where levels of SAM have increased manifold. These districts include Ranchi, Kolkata, Darjeeling, Pune, Aurangabad, Khargone, Ajmer and Saharanpur, among several others. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency Varanasi and Uttar Pradesh’s chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s constituency Gorakhpur also reported an alarming level of increase in severe wasting levels. Maharashtra had the most number of districts, 16, with high and increased levels, followed by Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh (both 14), Madhya Pradesh (10), and Bihar(9). The case mortality rate among severely malnourished children receiving inpatient treatment based on World Health Organisation protocol ranged from 3.4% to 35%, the paper further states. “According to the current estimates, over 1 crore children in India are severely malnourished. Case mortality rate of 35% means that around 35 lakh children in our country are at ahigh-risk mortality,” said Ulahanna, the main author of the paper and a health and system researcher, Institute of Public Health (Bengaluru). Malnourishment does not get adequate attention from the government, Ulahanna said. “Even though we have invested a lot in schemes and missions such as Poshan Abhiyaan, we are yet to see any positive signs. The Poshan Abhiyaan focusses more on information disbursal and gives limited attention to food security.” According to him, the Poshan Abhiyaan should engage with authorities at the Panchayat level but such decentralised planning and implementation are yet to be seen. “The Poshan Abhiyaan mission also needs to develop operational guidelines for an intersectional approach and collaborate with other entities. For example, we need active participation from Swachh Bharat Mission, agriculture department, National Rural Livelihoods Mission, etc., to address the social determinants of SAM,” Ulahanna said. The NFHS-5 data were largely collected before COVID-19 hit the country. The pandemic is expected to have worsened malnourishment levels. Another cause for worry for health experts is the rising inflation. “It is no secret that high inflation and price rise affect people’s capability to consume more and nutritious food. Rising inflation will affect the poor and marginalised communities even more,” said Ulahanna. The Consumer Price Index, or retail inflation, was at an eight-year high of 7.79% in April. A recent report by the Centre for Science and Environment and Down to Earth magazine showed that 71% of Indians cannot afford a nutritious meal and more than 17 lakh people die annually because of diseases attributable to poor diet. The NFHS-5 data also highlighted a very high increase in anaemia (caused by unhealthy food habits) levels. According to the survey, 67.1% of children aged 6-59 months were anaemic in 2021 against 58.6% in 2016. Anaemia was also found prevalent in, at least, 57% of women.

Down To Earth

Making plastic fantastic

While the upcoming blanket ban on single-use plastic is a welcome move, there is uncertainty about implementation and alternatives. From the garbage you see dumped in your neighbourhood to social media videos you witness of waste washed up on the shores—the predominant material common to both is plastic. According to the State of India’s Environment 2022 report published by the Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi produces at least 689.8 tonnes of plastic waste per day, most of which is difficult to recycle and thus, has harmful effects on the environment. In August 2021, the Centre announced a ban on use of single-use plastic, following a notification from the Central Pollution Control Board that this will take effect from July 1. Even prior to the government’s thoughtful move, many conscious citizens had been working on ways to create awareness of the catastrophic effect of plastic. A venture that has been part of this movement is Minus Degre—a Saket-based start-up founded by brothers Rahul Kumar (24) and Vikash Kumar (26) in 2020—that focuses on upcycling plastic waste. ADVERTISEMENT An experiment that paid off It was sometime amid the first lockdown that the Kumar brothers realised an extreme increase in plastic consumption. “Since no one could go out, people would order food and groceries at home. With each delivery came more plastic,” shares Rahul. Hoping to do their part in environmental improvement, they started collecting used plastic from their neighbourhood. They also started buying plastic from rag-pickers to upcycle these into eco-friendly products. What started as a lockdown experiment has, in time, turned into an eco-conscious brand that gives unwanted plastic a new lease of life as accessories, home decor, and furniture. Creating a conscious impact Given theirs is a start-up that is growing gradually, Rahul mentions how, in the beginning, people barely bought from them citing high price points. “Plastic is one of the cheapest materials in India, so, most of them would think that because our products are recycled, they will be cheap.” In order to remain in the competitive market, Minus Degre had to significantly reduce the price of its products. However, they also add that more than being a manufacturer, they aim to be awareness creators who inform people about reducing plastic waste and consumption. They do so by conducting plastic-awareness campaigns around the city. A recent campaign titled ‘Plastic Pe Charcha’ has the team travelling to different areas in Delhi as they discuss plastic waste and climate change with strangers. While the upcoming blanket ban on single-use plastic is a welcome move, there is uncertainty about implementation and alternatives. Speaking about how similar bans issued earlier never lasted, Rahul concludes, “Whatever measure the government takes, at the end of the day, it is our responsibility to create change. Small efforts are what matters.” Leading by example Minus Degre conducted a plastic awareness workshop at Free School Under The Bridge for Poor Children, Yamuna Bank on Saturday. “The next generation are in danger and must be aware of this,” says Rahul.

Urban Lab

ACs to keep ATMs cool are bad news for environment

It is ironic that in a chilled ATM kiosk, a customer is asked to not print a receipt to save environment A popular cartoon often making rounds on WhatsApp shows a person standing in front of a bank automated teller machine (ATM) and saying: "This small room has an air conditioner (AC) keeping it chilled and this machine is asking me not to print the receipt to save environment." This is a thought that has crossed the mind of every ATM user at least once. VDO.AI Generally, an old 1.5 tonne air conditioner consumes around 1.5 units per hour. Now, imagine all the power needed for all so many ACs across the country. As per the data obtained from Reserve Bank of India (RBI), there are a total of 2,15,677 ATMs across India, of which, 1,17,594 are on site, i.e., at the Bank's branches, and 98,083 are off site. Needless to add, the metro cities, especially Delhi and Mumbai, have the highest number of ATMs. Each ATM equipped with AC - sometimes, two of them if there are more than one machine in the facility - consumes a lot of electricity. With the mercury soaring higher and higher - and this summer has been particularly bad for northwest India with the continuous spells of heat waves - the power demand has been ever on the rise. Delhi's average summer time demand is easily more than 6,500 MWs and the power discoms struggle to meet the demand. "What do you do when you have less money to spend? You prioritise your expenses. Exactly the same way, when the power demand is on the rise, the government needs to prioritise its usage. Power saved is the best kind of generation," said environmentalist Manoj Mishra. Also, almost all of these ACs contribute to the air pollution and generate a small heat island around its compressors. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, urban lab at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said: "ACs don't directly contribute to the air pollution problem. However, the increased use of ACs, especially during the summers, increases the demand for electricity, which in turn, increases the air pollution caused by thermal power plants as they will need more coal to cater to the increased demand." Another common experience for many ATM users is that the machine is not working, not dispensing cash or any other problem, but the small room is chilled as the guard sits inside with AC at 18 degrees Celsius cooling. "That is a very common problem. Machine may or may not be working. But there can be optimisation of power use. A regulated temperature at 25-26 degrees Celsius is good enough," said Prafulla Pathak, president, Solar Energy Society of India (SESI), an advocacy group for solar energy. He also points out that about 10-12 years ago, technology was not available, so ACs were needed but now, there is technology where these machines do not need ACs and like how many of the gadgets come with self-cooling fans, the ATMs too can have that. "Despite this, if at all the ATMs need ACs, then solar-based cooling at 25-28 degrees can be easily worked out wherever possible. A start needs to be done somewhere," Pathak said. "ACs in the ATMs are unnecessary, unless the machine so requires it. In the light of rampant climate change, if it might just become another necessity of life, tech innovation is urgently required to make it less damaging to the environment," echoed Mishra. Prioritising the environment will pay more dividends any day.

Urban Lab

Delhi Pollution: दिल्ली की हवा में बढ़ा प्रदूषण! जानिए भीषण गर्मी और हीटवेव कैसे बनी वजह

Delhi Air More Toxic Than Last Summer: इस बार दिल्ली में गर्मी ने ही नहीं बल्कि हवा में ओज़ोन गैस ने भी रिकॉर्ड तोड़ा है. सीएसई की एक रिपोर्ट में दावा किया गया है कि इस बार बढ़ते तापमान की वजह से हवा में ओजोन का लेवल भी बढ़ा है. यहां पढ़िए सीएसई की रिसर्च में क्या आया सामने. Delhi Air Quality More Toxic, CSE Report:दिल्ली में भीषण गर्मी और बढ़ते तापमान के बीच आम लोग घर से बाहर निकलने से बच रहे हैं. लेकिन क्या आपको पता है कि इस साल दिल्ली में गर्मी, हीटवेव और बढ़ते तापमान की वजह से दिल्ली की हवा और जहरीली हो गई है. दिल्ली में लगातार बढ़ते तापमान के चलते पारा 46 डिग्री के पार हो रहा है. इसके चलते हवा में मौजूद ओजोन गैस ने भी सारे रिकॉर्ड तोड़ दिए है. दरअसल, सेंटर फार साइंस एंड एन्वायरमेंट (सीएसई) ने एक रिपोर्ट तैयार की है जिसमें यह सामने आया है कि 122 सालों में गर्मियों का रिकॉर्ड टूटने के बाद इस साल की गर्मी के चलते हवा में ओजोन की मात्रा में भी बढ़ोतरी हुई है, जिससे दिल्ली-एनसीआर की हवा अधिक जहरीली हो गई है.

Urban Lab

ACs to keep ATMs cool are bad news for environment

A popular cartoon often making rounds on WhatsApp shows a person standing in front of a bank automated teller machine (ATM) and saying: “This small room has an air conditioner (AC) keeping it chilled and this machine is asking me not to print the receipt to save environment.” ADVERTISEMENT This is a thought that has crossed the mind of every ATM user at least once. Generally, an old 1.5 tonne air conditioner consumes around 1.5 units per hour. Now, imagine all the power needed for all so many ACs, not just in Delhi but across the country. As per the data obtained from Reserve Bank of India (RBI), there are a total of 2,15,677 ATMs across India, of which, 1,17,594 are on site, i.e., at the Bank’s branches, and 98,083 are off site. Needless to add, the metro cities, especially Delhi and Mumbai, have the highest number of ATMs. Each ATM equipped with AC – sometimes, two of them if there are more than one machine in the facility – consumes a lot of electricity. ADVERTISEMENT With the mercury soaring higher and higher – and this summer has been particularly bad for northwest India with the continuous spells of heat waves – the power demand has been ever on the rise. Delhi’s average summer time demand is easily more than 6,500 MWs and the power discoms struggle to meet the demand. “What do you do when you have less money to spend? You prioritise your expenses. Exactly the same way, when the power demand is on the rise, the government needs to prioritise its usage. Power saved is the best kind of generation,” said environmentalist Manoj Mishra. Also, almost all of these ACs contribute to the air pollution and generate a small heat island around its compressors. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, urban lab at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said: “ACs don’t directly contribute to the air pollution problem. However, the increased use of ACs, especially during the summers, increases the demand for electricity, which in turn, increases the air pollution caused by thermal power plants as they will need more coal to cater to the increased demand.” Another common experience for many ATM users is that the machine is not working, not dispensing cash or any other problem, but the small room is chilled as the guard sits inside with AC at 18 degrees Celsius cooling. “That is a very common problem. Machine may or may not be working. But there can be optimisation of power use. A regulated temperature at 25-26 degrees Celsius is good enough,” said Prafulla Pathak, president, Solar Energy Society of India (SESI), an advocacy group for solar energy. He also points out that about 10-12 years ago, technology was not available, so ACs were needed but now, there is technology where these machines do not need ACs and like how many of the gadgets come with self cooling fans, the ATMs too can have that. “Despite this, if at all the ATMs need ACs, then solar-based cooling at 25-28 degrees can be easily worked out wherever possible. A start needs to be done somewhere,” Pathak said. “ACs in the ATMs are unnecessary, unless the machine so requires it. In the light of rampant climate change, if it might just become another necessity of life, tech innovation is urgently required to make it less damaging to the environment,” echoed Mishra.

Urban Lab

एटीएम को ठंडा रखने के लिए एसी का उपयोग है पर्यावरण के लिए नुकसानदेह

बैंकों के एटीएम में मशीन को ठंडा रखने के लिए आमतौर पर डेढ़ टन की एसी का उपयोग किया जाता है और यह एसी प्रति घंटे करीब डेढ़ यूनिट बिजली खपत करती है। अब अंदाजा लगाइये कि देशभर में कुकुरमुत्ते की तरह फैले एटीएम दिनभर में कितनी बिजली की खपत करते होंगे। उपर से तुर्रा यह कि एटीएम मशीन पर हर ट्रांजेक्शन के बाद लिखा होता है कि प्रिंट न लें और पर्यावरण संरक्षण करें। भारतीय रिजर्व बैंक के आंकड़ों के मुताबिक, देशभर में 2,15,677 एटीएम में हैं जिनमें से 1,17,594 बैंकों की शाखाओं से संलग्न हैं जबकि 98,083 अलग-अलग स्थानों पर हैं। मेट्रो सिटीज में आमतौर पर अन्य जगहों की तुलना में अधिक एटीएम हैं और हर एटीएम में एक या कभी-कभी दो एसी भी लगी होती है। लगभग सभी एसी वायु प्रदूषण करते हैं और इसके कंप्रेसर के इर्दगिर्द गर्मी का एक द्वीप सा बन जाता है। पर्यावरणविद् मनोज मिश्रा ने कहा, आप क्या करते हैं जब आपके पास कम पैसे हो तो? आप अपने महत्वपूर्ण खर्च को अधिक तरजीह देने लगते हैं। इसी तरह जब बिजली की मांग बढ़ी हुई है तो सरकार को इसके इस्तेमाल की प्राथमिकता तय करनी होगी। बिजली की बचत बिजली उत्पादन का सर्वश्रेष्ठ तरीका है। मिश्रा ने कहा कि एटीएम में अगर मशीन के लिए जरूरी हो तब ही एसी जरूरी है। इस दिशा में इनोवेशन की काफी आवश्यकता है ताकि यह पर्यावरण के लिए कम नुकसान दायक हो। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एंन्वॉयरमेंट में सीनियर प्रोग्राम मैनेजर अविकल सोमवंशी ने कहा, एसी प्रत्यक्ष रूप से वायु प्रदूषण नहीं करते हैं। एसी का इस्तेमाल, खासकर गर्मी के मौसम में बढ़ जाता है, जिससे बिजली की मांग बढ़ जाती है। बिजली की मांग बढ़ने से बिजली उत्पादन अधिक करना होता है, जिससे वायु प्रदूषण बढ़ता है। बिजली उत्पादन के लिए तापविद्युत संयंत्रों को अधिक कोयले की जरूरत होती है, जो प्रदूषण का कारक है। सौर ऊर्जा के एडवोकेसी ग्रुप सोलर एनर्जी सोसाइटी ऑफ इंडिया के अध्यक्ष प्रफुल्ल पाठक का कहना है कि एक और आम समस्या यह है कि भले ही एटीएम में मशीन काम करे या ना करे लेकिन वहां एसी 18 डिग्री सेल्सियस पर चलती रहती है। अगर तापमान को 25-26 डिग्री पर रखा जाये तो वह अच्छा रहता। उन्होंने कहा कि आज से दस-बारह साल पहले प्रौद्योगिकी उपलब्ध नहीं थी इसी कारण एसी की जरूरत थी। अब कई ऐसे गैजेट आते हैं, जिनमें सेल्फ कूलिंग फैन होता है तो एटीएम में भी ऐसा हो सकता है। पाठक ने कहा कि लेकिन इसके बावजूद अगर एसी का इस्तेमाल करना है तो सौर ऊर्जा आधारित एसी पर्याप्त है, जिसपर 25-28 डिग्री पर कूलिंग रखी जाए।

Urban Lab

ATM को ठंडा रखने के चक्कर में पर्यावरण को हो रहा नुकसान, जानें वजह

बैंकों के एटीएम (ATM) मशीन को ठंडा रखने के लिए आमतौर पर डेढ़ टन की एसी का उपयोग किया जाता है। यह एसी प्रति घंटे करीब डेढ़ यूनिट बिजली खपत करती है। अब अंदाजा लगाइए कि देशभर में लगे एटीएम दिनभर में कितनी <a बिजली</a> की खपत करते होंगे। जबकि, एटीएम मशीन पर हर ट्रांजेक्शन के बाद लिखा होता है कि प्रिंट ना लें और पर्यावरण संरक्षण करें। <a href="https://himachalabhiabhi.com/rbi-changed-bank-locker-rules/">भारतीय रिजर्व बैंक</a> के आंकड़ों के अनुसार, देशभर में 2,15,677 एटीएम में हैं, जिनमें से 1,17,594 बैंकों की शाखाओं से संलग्न हैं, जबकि 98,083 अलग-अलग स्थानों पर हैं। मेट्रो सिटीज में आमतौर पर अन्य जगहों की तुलना में अधिक एटीएम हैं और हर एटीएम में एक या कभी-कभी दो एसी भी लगे होते हैं। लगभग सभी एसी<a href="https://himachalabhiabhi.com/air-pollution-has-killed-one-lakh-people-in-india/"> वायु प्रदूषण</a> (Air Pollution) करते हैं और इसके कंप्रेसर के इर्द-गिर्द गर्मी का एक द्वीप सा बन जाता है। पर्यावरणविद् मनोज मिश्रा ने कहा कि आप क्या करते हैं जब आपके पास कम पैसे हो तो? आप अपने महत्वपूर्ण खर्च को अधिक तरजीह देने लगते हैं। इसी तरह जब बिजली की मांग बढ़ी हुई है तो सरकार को इसके इस्तेमाल की प्राथमिकता तय करनी होगी। बिजली की बचत बिजली उत्पादन का सर्वश्रेष्ठ तरीका है। मिश्रा ने कहा कि एटीएम में अगर मशीन के लिए जरूरी हो तब ही एसी जरूरी है। इस दिशा में इनोवेशन की काफी आवश्यकता है ताकि यह पर्यावरण के लिए कम नुकसानदायक हो। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट में सीनियर प्रोग्राम मैनेजर अविकल सोमवंशी ने कहा कि एसी प्रत्यक्ष रूप से वायु प्रदूषण नहीं करते हैं। एसी का इस्तेमाल, खासकर गर्मी के मौसम में बढ़ जाता है, जिससे बिजली की मांग बढ़ जाती है। बिजली की मांग बढ़ने से बिजली उत्पादन अधिक करना होता है, जिससे वायु प्रदूषण बढ़ता है। बिजली उत्पादन के लिए ताप विद्युत संयंत्रों को अधिक कोयले की जरूरत होती है, जो प्रदूषण का कारक है। वहीं, सौर ऊर्जा के एडवोकेसी ग्रुप सोलर एनर्जी सोसाइटी ऑफ इंडिया के अध्यक्ष प्रफुल्ल पाठक का कहना है कि एक और आम समस्या यह है कि भले ही एटीएम में मशीन काम करे या ना करे, लेकिन वहां एसी 18 डिग्री सेल्सियस पर चलता रहती है। अगर तापमान को 25-26 डिग्री पर रखा जाये तो वह अच्छा रहता। उन्होंने कहा कि आज से दस-बारह साल पहले प्रौद्योगिकी उपलब्ध नहीं थी और इसी कारण एसी की जरूरत थी। अब कई ऐसे गैजेट आते हैं, जिनमें सेल्फ कूलिंग फैन होता है तो एटीएम में भी ऐसा हो सकता है। पाठक ने कहा कि लेकिन इसके बावजूद अगर एसी का इस्तेमाल करना है तो सौर ऊर्जा आधारित एसी पर्याप्त है, जिस पर 25-28 डिग्री पर कूलिंग रखी जाए।

Director General Office

Inconvenient questions

How do I explain the global media powerhouses need to get real about the impacts of climate change on countries like India - my country? I write this with considerable anguish. In June, the world came together in Stockholm to mark 50 years of global environmental consciousness. The meet was to celebrate interdependence and the need for a global compact for planet Earth. But more than ever, such events have virtually become a dialogue of the deaf. The world, it seems, lives in two different planets. There is deep division, polarisation, and a lack of understanding of each other’s concerns. Let me tell you what has left me so troubled and has, once again, told me just how much we must learn to listen to one another. As you know, parts of India have been going through an intense, burning heatwave. It has been a living hell in my city Delhi as temperatures have touched 47˚ Centigrade. Even as I say this, I know that people like me, who live in relative thermal comfort, are not so badly hit. It is the millions who work out in the sun — from farmers to construction workers to all those who cannot afford electricity to even power a fan — are the worst sufferers. They are bearing the brunt of the inferno that has hit work, made people ill, taken lives, and burnt and shrivelled up part of the wheat crop. Scientists point out that this time the temperature rise was way too early in the year — in March as against May — making the heat impact more devastating. They connect it to the abnormal behaviour of Pacific Ocean currents, La Niña, which have been unusually prolonged, leading to the heatwaves. There is also evidence about changes in the Western Disturbance — the winds from the Mediterranean — which are, in turn, influenced by the changes in the Arctic jet stream. The Western Disturbance would bring rain to the Indian subcontinent during this early summer period, reducing the heat’s impact. But this year, the Western Disturbance has been weak. It is still not clear if this is a long-term trend, but what is absolutely certain is that there are clear and attributable links between the heatwave and global climate change. So, things are bad, very bad. It is also certain that we in India must learn to do things differently, knowing that this heat will only get worse. “The State of the Global Climate 2021” report by the World Meteorological Organization, released in May 2022, grimly tells us that the four key indicators of climate change — greenhouse gas (GHG) concentration, sea level rise, ocean heat, and ocean acidification — reached record levels in 2021. What, then, are the options? One, provide affordable electricity to all so that people can cope with these temperatures; two, build homes with better insulation and ventilation to improve thermal comfort; three, plant trees for shade; and four, increase the storage of water for drinking and irrigation. These will also cool our cities’ microclimate. But there are enormous limitations. There is no way we can live or adapt to the rising temperatures that we are beginning to see. It is also clear that the poor in our world are the ones most impacted by this. But my anguish is not only because of the dire conditions I see in the world around me. As a climate change activist and environmentalist, it makes me realise that I have failed — we all have failed — to make things better. What rubs salt into the wound is when I get interview calls from the western media wanting to find out more about the devastating heat conditions. The most predictable question, after the first few enquiries about life and death, is what India is doing to combat climate change. Then comes the query: Why does India continue to use coal for its electricity? And then the final one — this one takes the cake — is to ask (or say) that power demand in this heat will go up, which will mean more coal burning. What do I have to say about that? What can I say? How do I explain that India’s contribution to greenhouse gas emission (GHG) is insignificant by any parameter? How do I explain that the stock of emission in the atmosphere, which is tipping us over and leading to this heatwave, is not of India’s making? How do I explain that we need to discuss reparations and not blame the poor, or even the relatively rich, in India? How do I explain the global media powerhouses need to get real about the impacts of climate change on countries like India — my country? That we must and will do more to reduce GHG emissions in our own interests, but what we must discuss today is how the richest countries — their countries — are the cause of the problem, and that we must begin to discuss not just how they will reduce emissions at scale but also the need for paying for this loss and damage to the rest of the world. This is the inconvenient truth that is not heard. We can scream, but that part of the world is not listening. This has to change if we want a better world and if we want our world to survive.

Sustainable Habitat

Women at the helm of climate adaptation efforts

The CSE, through investigations in the tribal belts of West Bengal and Odisha, has come up with information on how women form the core of rural communities and lead the struggle for climate adaptation A major factor in climate adaptation is sustainable habitat, which greatly affects women as most of them spend the greater part of the day in their homes. But how much say do they have in the construction and upkeep of their homes? The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), through investigations in the tribal belts of West Bengal and Odisha, has come up with information on how women form the core of rural communities and lead the struggle for climate adaptation. In most of these villages, the construction and upkeep of homes are done largely by women. These locations are dominated by houses made of thatch, bamboo, and mud. From sourcing materials to thatching, walling, and plastering, women take the lead, leaving only roofing to men.

Climate Change and Green Economy

Switzerland, EU oppose equity principles, fault lines emerge at Bonn

The challenge to foundational principles of global climate action at the ongoing climate conference is an ominous sign for COP27 At the ongoing climate conference in Bonn, Germany, deep fissures have emerged regarding what actions countries ought to take on climate mitigation. During informal consultations held on June 10, the Africa Group, Arab Group and Like-Minded Developing countries made strong calls for upholding principles of equity in the development of programmes related to mitigation. The developed world pushed back, however, and opposed the inclusion of text upholding equity. The conference is the 56th meeting of subsidiary bodies of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), i.e. the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA). One of the main agenda items for the conference is scaling up both the ambition and implementation of mitigation action. At COP26 in Glasgow, parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) decided to “establish a work programme to urgently scale up mitigation ambition and implementation in this critical decade.” Further, they requested subsidiary bodies to recommend a draft decision on mitigation for consideration at COP27 scheduled to be held in Egypt later this year. Mitigation was also one of the UK Presidency’s core focus areas, in addition to adaptation and finance. Discussions ongoing at Bonn aim to further commitments made at COP26, mitigation being one such commitment. “Equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities [CBDR-RC]” is the first guiding principle of the work programme, as per a document prepared by the co-facilitators of discussions on the agenda regarding scaling up mitigation ambition. Suffice to say, equity is also core to both UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. In practice, however, there are questions if the principle is being upheld. Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the Environment Integrity Group (EIG), and the European Union opposed the inclusion of these principles and sought an enforcement of mitigation action instead. EIG comprises Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Monaco, the Republic of Korea, Georgia and Mexico. “If the argument is that principles of equity are already enshrined in the Paris Agreement and the Convention, then we could also ask why we need a work programme for mitigation [at all], which is also a duplication [of action required to be undertaken under the Convention],” said Avantika Goswami, climate policy researcher and programme manager at Center for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based environmental research and advocacy organisation. She added that in the context of the creation of a work programme on mitigation, developing countries would naturally want a reiteration of principles “to make sure you are not creating new mechanisms that could go against equity.” The Arab group, Africa group and LMDCs said they cannot accept a text without equity and CBDR-RC—there must be equitable access to the remaining carbon budget, mitigation action cannot be led by developing countries and the developed world ought to be held responsible for historical emissions. Broadly, the ‘carbon budget’ is used to refer to the remaining amount of ‘allowable’ emissions to keep warming below 1.5°C. Countries in the developing world see this budget as a leeway to meet developmental requirements. Researchers have previously analysed how the US and the EU have significantly overshot their fair share of the “safe global carbon budget” by 40% and 29% respectively. On the other hand, the US said the principles for the work programme should include an aim to align with the 1.5°C goal as per the Glasgow Climate Pact. In an earlier report, CarbonCopy has highlighted the fears developing countries hold with respect to the Pact given how it was developed with questionable consensus and could now be used to seek higher ambition from the developing world. The US also noted a need for “all parties to act, especially major emitters.” Pays to note, the US, having contributed a quarter of all emissions since the industrial revolution, is the biggest historical emitter while the EU comes in second with 22% of global emissions. China has contributed 13%, India is at 3% and Brazil at 1%. “The [Glasgow Climate] Pact cannot be used as a vehicle to move away from the Paris Agreement and it must be in the context of CBDR-RC,” said Meena Raman, a Malaysia-based legal adviser and senior researcher at the Third World Network (TWN), a non-profit international research and advocacy organisation involved in development issues and North-South affairs. Even among some civil society members at the conference, observers noted how there is no clear articulation regarding CBDR and differentiation in the mitigation work programme. Their talking points, they said, are broad brush in terms of non-CO2 GHGs and include a push for methane pledges even from Asian countries, which do not have any significant industrial methane emissions from the oil and gas sector relative to those in the developed world. “It’s an issue of equity because countries that are emitting methane as survival emissions [like those in Asia with respect to cattle and rice farming] are being pitted against super emitters like the US oil and gas producers and industrial farming,” Goswami explained. And this when even organisations like the International Energy Agency (IEA) have noted that methane emissions from the oil and gas sector are low-hanging fruit because they can be “prevented easily at little or no cost.” Duplication of work under the mitigation work programme There are also questions regarding the purpose of the work programme. Raman explained that at COP21 in Paris, parties at the UNFCCC agreed that the Global Stocktake (GST) is the ratcheting of ambition because you stocktake mitigation ambition, including in terms of evaluation of requirements related to finance and technology. Broadly, GST refers to the process of assessment of implementation of the Paris Agreement. It is a two-year process meant to be undertaken every five years. So when we already have GST, Raman said, “what is the purpose of the mitigation work programme?” The Glasgow Climate Pact, too, recognises that the mitigation work programme must “complement” GST, not duplicate it. The Arab group, Africa group and LMDCs, while agreeing with the need to increase mitigation ambition, spoke of how GST must be the ratcheting mechanism and not the mitigation work programme. Important to bear in mind that GST is also more holistic given that it includes assessment of not only mitigation action, but also financial and technological support for it for developing countries. In the past few days, developing countries like India, Indonesia and the Argentina-Brazil-Uruguay group have noted a serious “pre-2020 mitigation gap” i.e. inaction on cutting emissions and drew attention to the role developed countries ought to take in not only closing the gap, but also taking the lead in such action. And India in particular has opposed calls for sectoral targets in the mitigation work programme, for specific fuels and also for specific gasses like CO2 and methane. Zimbabwe, speaking for the Africa Group, sought implementation of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) by the developed world as well as their long-term strategies as part of the work programme on mitigation. It also sought support for developing countries to meet NDCs and for a just transition. These issues are critical and as is agreement over them during the second week at Bonn. Texts that emerge from this conference will formally be up for consideration at COP27 in Egypt. As of now, however, there is much more division than common ground. This article is a part of a series of on-ground reports from the 56th meeting of the UNFCCC subsidiary bodies in Bonn, Germany

Urban Lab

ACs to keep ATMs cool are bad news for environment : The Tribune India

A popular cartoon often making rounds on WhatsApp shows a person standing in front of a bank automated teller machine (ATM) and saying: “This small room has an air conditioner (AC) keeping it chilled and this machine is asking me not to print the receipt to save environment.” This is a thought that has crossed the mind of every ATM user at least once. Generally, an old 1.5 tonne air conditioner consumes around 1.5 units per hour. Now, imagine all the power needed for all so many ACs across the country. As per the data obtained from Reserve Bank of India (RBI), there are a total of 2,15,677 ATMs across India, of which, 1,17,594 are on site, i.e., at the Bank’s branches, and 98,083 are off site. Needless to add, the metro cities, especially Delhi and Mumbai, have the highest number of ATMs. Each ATM equipped with AC – sometimes, two of them if there are more than one machine in the facility – consumes a lot of electricity. With the mercury soaring higher and higher – and this summer has been particularly bad for northwest India with the continuous spells of heat waves – the power demand has been ever on the rise. Delhi’s average summer time demand is easily more than 6,500 MWs and the power discoms struggle to meet the demand. “What do you do when you have less money to spend? You prioritise your expenses. Exactly the same way, when the power demand is on the rise, the government needs to prioritise its usage. Power saved is the best kind of generation,” said environmentalist Manoj Mishra. Also, almost all of these ACs contribute to the air pollution and generate a small heat island around its compressors. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, urban lab at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said: “ACs don’t directly contribute to the air pollution problem. However, the increased use of ACs, especially during the summers, increases the demand for electricity, which in turn, increases the air pollution caused by thermal power plants as they will need more coal to cater to the increased demand.” Another common experience for many ATM users is that the machine is not working, not dispensing cash or any other problem, but the small room is chilled as the guard sits inside with AC at 18 degrees Celsius cooling. “That is a very common problem. Machine may or may not be working. But there can be optimisation of power use. A regulated temperature at 25-26 degrees Celsius is good enough,” said Prafulla Pathak, president, Solar Energy Society of India (SESI), an advocacy group for solar energy. He also points out that about 10-12 years ago, technology was not available, so ACs were needed but now, there is technology where these machines do not need ACs and like how many of the gadgets come with self-cooling fans, the ATMs too can have that. “Despite this, if at all the ATMs need ACs, then solar-based cooling at 25-28 degrees can be easily worked out wherever possible. A start needs to be done somewhere,” Pathak said. “ACs in the ATMs are unnecessary, unless the machine so requires it. In the light of rampant climate change, if it might just become another necessity of life, tech innovation is urgently required to make it less damaging to the environment,” echoed Mishra. Prioritising the environment will pay more dividends any day.

Urban Lab

ACs to keep ATMs cool are bad news for environment

A popular cartoon often making rounds on WhatsApp shows a person standing in front of a bank automated teller machine (ATM) and saying: "This small room has an air conditioner (AC) keeping it chilled and this machine is asking me not to print the receipt to save environment." This is a thought that has crossed the mind of every ATM user at least once. Generally, an old 1.5 tonne air conditioner consumes around 1.5 units per hour. Now, imagine all the power needed for all so many ACs, not just in Delhi but across the country. As per the data obtained from Reserve Bank of India (RBI), there are a total of 2,15,677 ATMs across India, of which, 1,17,594 are on site, i.e., at the Bank's branches, and 98,083 are off site. Needless to add, the metro cities, especially Delhi and Mumbai, have the highest number of ATMs. Each ATM equipped with AC - sometimes, two of them if there are more than one machine in the facility - consumes a lot of electricity. With the mercury soaring higher and higher - and this summer has been particularly bad for northwest India with the continuous spells of heat waves - the power demand has been ever on the rise. Delhi's average summer time demand is easily more than 6,500 MWs and the power discoms struggle to meet the demand. "What do you do when you have less money to spend? You prioritise your expenses. Exactly the same way, when the power demand is on the rise, the government needs to prioritise its usage. Power saved is the best kind of generation," said environmentalist Manoj Mishra. Also, almost all of these ACs contribute to the air pollution and generate a small heat island around its compressors. Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, urban lab at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said: "ACs don't directly contribute to the air pollution problem. However, the increased use of ACs, especially during the summers, increases the demand for electricity, which in turn, increases the air pollution caused by thermal power plants as they will need more coal to cater to the increased demand." Another common experience for many ATM users is that the machine is not working, not dispensing cash or any other problem, but the small room is chilled as the guard sits inside with AC at 18 degrees Celsius cooling. "That is a very common problem. Machine may or may not be working. But there can be optimisation of power use. A regulated temperature at 25-26 degrees Celsius is good enough," said Prafulla Pathak, president, Solar Energy Society of India (SESI), an advocacy group for solar energy. He also points out that about 10-12 years ago, technology was not available, so ACs were needed but now, there is technology where these machines do not need ACs and like how many of the gadgets come with self cooling fans, the ATMs too can have that. "Despite this, if at all the ATMs need ACs, then solar-based cooling at 25-28 degrees can be easily worked out wherever possible. A start needs to be done somewhere," Pathak said. "ACs in the ATMs are unnecessary, unless the machine so requires it. In the light of rampant climate change, if it might just become another necessity of life, tech innovation is urgently required to make it less damaging to the environment," echoed Mishra. Prioritising the environment will pay more dividends any day.

Urban Lab

ACs to keep ATMs cool are bad news for environment

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Rai calls for joint action plan to combat pollution

Gopal Rai, the Delhi Environment Minister, asked the Centre on Saturday to develop a collaborative action plan to combat air pollution in the city. Only 30% of Delhi's pollution is generated locally, according to the minister, with the rest coming from outside. In Delhi, vehicular pollution is a major challenge. We first introduced CNG and have now made the strategic decision to transition to electric vehicles. All of the city's industrial units have relocated to PNG," he stated. According to a survey by the Centre for Science and Environment earlier, the NCR region contributes 69 percent of pollution in Delhi. The Kejriwal government has demanded a joint conference with all states for the fourth time. Rai urged the creation of a coordinated action plan for the future in order to minimise pollution levels. The government is currently working on a massive tree-planting campaign Rai said. "We're growing green cover and raising awareness, but a coordinated action plan with the Centre is essential," the minister added.

Urban Lab