Centre for Science and Environment masthead Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Donate

Cse In News

Cse In News

Burning need to safeguard the planet

Climate change is the result of an ever-increasing demand for energy, states Sunita Narain, director-general of the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. BEIJING – South Asia’s heat waves show action on climate can’t be put off, experts say The suffering caused by South Asia’s record-breaking heat waves brings home the urgency for climate justice to be addressed without delay, environmental experts say. Every time a climate change-induced event strikes the Indian subcontinent, it “gives us an edge to understand that climate justice has not been given to us”, said Anjal Prakash, research director at the Bharti Institute of Public Policy of the Indian School of Business and a lead author with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC. While climate change is often blamed on developing countries, it is not their doing, the scientist said. “It is the West, the industrial Global North, (who) have created today’s climate change with pollution, and (in the) Global South we are at the receiving end of the problem,” he told China Daily. The expert believes that the pledges made by industrialized countries for adaptation finance must be honored by those nations that have been reluctant to pay up. The scorching heat waves that have gripped northwestern India and southeastern Pakistan, among other regions, are viewed by scientists across the world as clear-cut, climate change-induced events. In India, heat waves are not uncommon in May and June. This year’s summer started early, however, with high temperatures and heat waves since March. In April, many weather stations in India recorded temperatures exceeding 45 C. March saw an average maximum temperature of 33.1 C, the highest recorded in India in 122 years, according to the World Meteorological Organization. And Pakistan experienced its warmest March in 61 years. “In India and Pakistan, the high temperature is unmatched in recent human history … it’s been really, really unprecedented,” said Prakash. “Heat stress is the climate-induced disaster, which is the slow onset of climate change, impacting people’s lives, health, and the infrastructure that we have here.” London-based expert Bob Ward said: “The exceptional period of heat-wave conditions in India and Pakistan is an indication of the way in which climate change is increasing severe risks to human health.” Ward is the policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy of the London School of Economics and Political Science. This year’s heat waves “also triggered an extreme glacial lake outburst flood in northern Pakistan and forest fires in India, as well as damage to yields of vital wheat crops”, Ward noted. More common Studies show that these high temperatures are set to become more common. Ward cited a recent report from the United Kingdom’s Meteorological Office that concluded that the record-breaking heat waves in India and Pakistan had been made more than 100 times more likely because of climate change. World Weather Attribution, a network that analyzes climate change effects, published a report on May 23 saying that climate change makes a heat wave as much as 30 times more likely. According to the WWA, India’s heat wave slashed the country’s wheat crop yields, leading the government to limit grain exports. Climate change is the result of an ever-increasing demand for energy, said Sunita Narain, director-general of the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. “Emissions from the burning of fossil fuels－coal, oil and natural gas－are the reason why the world is today on the edge of a precipice. The 2022 report of the IPCC reiterates that the impacts of a warming planet will be catastrophic,” she said. Prakash, who was in a working group that contributed to the IPCC’s report, said these events come as “no surprise”. But in South Asia, daily wage earners, “are feeling the brunt of it”, he said. Suvo Roy, who teaches anthropology at India’s Calcutta University, said: “Unless emissions are curbed or cut significantly, we are in for worse days.”

71 pc Indians cannot afford healthy diet: CSE report

Seventy-one per cent Indians cannot afford a healthy diet and 1.7 million die every year due to diseases attributable to poor diet, according to a report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth magazine. The diseases attributable to dietary risk factors include respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer, strokes and coronary heart disease, the report ‘State of India’s Environment 2022: In Figures’ said. The report refers to diets low in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and diets high in processed meat, red meat, and sugary drinks. “Seventy-one percent of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet. The global average is 42 percent,” it said citing the Global Nutrition Report, 2021. The diet of an average Indian lacks in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains. The consumption of fish, dairy and red meat is within target, it said. A healthy diet is considered unaffordable when its cost exceeds 63 percent of a person’s income, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation. In India, adults aged 20 and above have only 35.8g of fruit per day as against the recommended 200g per day and just 168.7g of vegetables per day as against the minimum 300g per day. They consume just 24.9g per day (25 percent of target) of legumes and 3.2g (13 percent of target) of nuts per day. “Despite some progress, diets are not getting healthier. Additionally, they are making increasing demands on the environment, even as unacceptable levels of malnutrition persist in the country,” the report said. “The high human, environmental and economic costs of continuing our current trajectory are so significant that we will pay a far higher price if we fail to act. The global food system falls far short of achieving global goals for both health and the environment,” it said. The report also presents an analysis of food prices. It says that the consumer food price index (CFPI) inflation has seen a 327 per cent increase in the past year, while the consumer price index (CPI) – which includes CFPI — has seen an 84 per cent jump. “Food seems to be the biggest mover of CPI inflation. The current high levels of food inflation have been driven by the rising cost of production, surging international crop prices and extreme weather-related disruptions. “In fact, our analysis of CRISIL data shows that food prices have increased at a higher rate in rural areas than in urban areas in March-April 2022,” said Richard Mahapatra, managing editor, Down To Earth. PTI GVS TDS TDS

71% Indians can't afford a healthy meal, millions die every year due to poor diet: Report

The majority of Indians cannot afford a healthy meal and millions die every year due to diseases that are directly linked to poor diet, a recent survey showed. Noting that the diet of an average Indian typically lacks essential nutritional food articles like fruits, vegetables, legumes, etc., the report said, “a healthy meal becomes unaffordable if it exceeds 63% of a person's income." A recent report released by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth magazine said, “Seventy-one percent of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet. The global average is 42 percent." The diet of an average Indian typically lacks fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains. The consumption of fish, dairy and red meat is within target, the report also said the Global Nutrition Report, 2021. Referring to the diseases that are attributable to poor diet, the survey mentioned respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer, strokes and coronary heart disease. Why majority of Indians can't afford a healthy meal? As per the Food and Agriculture Organisation, a healthy meal becomes unaffordable if it exceeds 63% of a person's income. Adults above the aged 20 and above consume only 35.8g of fruit per day as against the recommended 200g and 168.7g of vegetables every day as against the minimum 300g that is advised. Similarly, they consume just 24.9g per day (25% of target) of legumes and 3.2g (13% of target) of nuts per day. "Despite some progress, diets are not getting healthier. Additionally, they are making increasing demands on the environment, even as unacceptable levels of malnutrition persist in the country," the report said. SIMILAR STORIES A warning on India's high percentage of heart diseases in wak... A warning on India's high percentage of heart diseases in wak... Only 2% of Australian wines to get lower duty access to India Only 2% of Australian wines to get lower duty access to India Tomatoes are the next big risk to PM Modi’s fight against inf... Tomatoes are the next big risk to PM Modi’s fight against inf... Global food shortages demand an international-level solution Global food shortages demand an international-level solution India cuts base import price of palm oil; raises soyoil price India cuts base import price of palm oil; raises soyoil price Good monsoon outlook in India tempers fears of rice export curbs Good monsoon outlook in India tempers fears of rice export curbs Mizoram to declare swine fever outbreak as state disaster; di... Mizoram to declare swine fever outbreak as state disaster; di... Facing inflation-weary shoppers, grocers fight price increasesPremium Facing inflation-weary shoppers, grocers fight price increases "The high human, environmental and economic costs of continuing our current trajectory are so significant that we will pay a far higher price if we fail to act. The global food system falls far short of achieving global goals for both health and the environment," it said. How inflation is affecting food prices? In the past year, the consumer food price index (CFPI) inflation has seen a 327% increase, while the consumer price index (CPI) – which includes CFPI -- has seen an 84% jump. “Food seems to be the biggest mover of CPI inflation. The current high levels of food inflation have been driven by the rising cost of production, surging international crop prices and extreme weather-related disruptions. "In fact, our analysis of CRISIL data shows that food prices have increased at a higher rate in rural areas than in urban areas in March-April 2022," said Richard Mahapatra, managing editor, Down To Earth.

Create A Customer Responsive Culture To Protect Brand Reputation: Gaurav Sood

Gaurav Sood, author of Troll Proof Branding in the Age of Doppelgänger, describes the harm that the social media attacks by dissatisfied customers can cause to brands, suggests strategies to rebound In the age of social media, consumers are no more passive recipients of products and services; they actively spread word about quality, durability, and health, social and environment impact. In this milieu, brands need to be on their guard and intervene in the nick of time to avert harm. Gaurav Sood, professor of marketing at Amity Business School, Amity University, Noida, has done an exhaustive study of history of brand-building, attacks on brands, and modern forms of culture-jamming, in his new book, rich with examples. He uses the German term Doppelgänger — alter ego — to show how these attacks create the opposite effect of the image a brand wants for itself. In an interview with Businessworld, he delves into the issue at length. Excerpts: Doppelgänger imagery in the 21st Century, with the vast reach of social media, has the potential to ruin a company's reputation instantaneously, as highlighted through several examples in your book. What approach would you suggest to companies in terms of dealing with the harm arising out of this imagery?   Well, the web is a dangerous place with people trying to sabotage the brand equity through culture jamming, trolling, fake news, digital activism, and opposing the brand’s emotional branding stories, creating a brand doppelganger, a family of critical and uncomplimentary stories circulated in the popular culture by anti-brand activist, social media users, and opinion leaders. These disparaging images if ignored can lead to the creation of brand doppelganger and can damage the brand’s reputation. From memes to parodies, Adbusters and subvertising, a brand doppelganger can originate from anywhere and in any form. It can be created by consumers, anti-brand activists, competitors, opinion leaders, media, and the public at large who help in amplifying the brand doppelganger image by circulating it through their social media platforms. Marketers need to develop a strategy to combat the brand doppelganger imagery and they have to research the following:  What form the brand doppelganger has adopted to destroy the brand's reputation? Is the brand culture jammed through memes, anti-brand websites, blogs, satire, parody, fake news, trolls, digital hacking, etc.?  Is the brand doppelganger positive and favours your brand as in the case of the Indian Premier League (IPL) or is it damaging or is it accidentally created by company’s mistake or market socio, political, economic, or cultural environmental changes?  How will the brand doppelganger damage the brand? Will it result in reputation loss, financial loss, brand avoidance, etc.?  What are the options available to combat the monstrous imagery? Each brand has its unique challenges when it comes to managing its doppelganger. There are many strategies mentioned by me in the book. These have to be different for different brands depending on who and how this imagery is created and what is the magnitude of damage. Do you see a need for new expertise area, and dedicated human resources to protect brand image, considering that conversations on social media and public feedback regarding products and services are here to stay ?   Most big companies are already aligning their human resources with the help of technology to address the challenge of brand doppelganger. Those who still are ignoring it will be at loss. Brand communication is a two way communication where the stakeholders hold more power to challenge the authenticity of the brand communication. It is no more B2C or B2B but C2C which holds the key. Well does this means a dedicated human resource to manage the brand doppelganger? I disagree. Managing brand doppelganger in an organisation is to create a customer responsive culture and each and every employee belonging to various functional roles like marketing, sales, customer service, HR, finance, operations or even the leadership team needs to be trained to develop a response mechanism to handle the brand doppelganger. So, the brand should be concerned as to what part or aspect of its branding story is under attack for example is its customer service, product features, benefits, price, distribution channel, etc. and assign responsibility to the concerned function to come forward and contribute in countering the monstrous imagery. While in your book you recommend deploying scientific methods and tools like sentiment analysis and brand concept mapping to bring out consumers' deeper feelings, to what extent can these strategies be in averting negative publicity crises?  See, a brand is a network of associations in the mind of the consumer and they comprise positive as well as negative brand associations. The paramount objective of the brand is to create and reinforce positive brand associations through brand elements (logo, symbol, jingle, color, etc.), packaging, marketing mix (product, price, distribution channel, and promotion). A brand doppelganger image can put a spanner in the smooth rolling of the brand communication and can challenge the brand authenticity. For example, Coca-Cola brand has faced consumer backlash through fake news like ‘Coca Cola as a toilet cleaner’ or trolled for ‘peddling sugar’, damaging the brand’s reputation and value. So can brands like Coca-Cola ignore the creation of their doppelganger imagery or identify and measure its impact to develop a sound brand strategy. Even strong brands need to be careful in managing the performance of their brand by continuously reviewing the performance of the brand, the marketing managers cannot accept even a slight slide in the brand value or overlook a single negative review about the brand. A brand's performance needs to be measured through monitoring certain key performance metrics to gain timely, accurate, and actionable insights into brand health so that tactical and strategic decisions can be taken in the short and long term. You have discussed at length anti-brand activists creating a "monstrous image of the brand". However, many of the concerns that they raise are genuine. These could be environmental, health issues, disregard for labour laws or loss of local livelihoods. Unless the core issue is resolved by actually taking action, how can trust be restored?  So resolve it! That’s what I am trying to communicate through my book. Why should a company give room to or indulge in actions that could create this brand doppelganger through an angry customer or a anti-brand activist. So if we see certain examples like “Nike Sweat-Shops”, “IPL-Match Fixing”, “United Airline Customer Service failure” and many more such cases obviously need to address their failures and take corrective measures to resolve the core brand issues. Brands have been doing this in the past and I am sure will continue to do it in the future. For example Coca-Cola is working towards sustainably sourcing all key ingredients by 2020 and reducing its carbon footprint by 25 per cent by 2025. Disney, at all of its parks, uses zero net direct greenhouse gas emissions and has a zero-waste policy so that nothing ends up in landfills. Switching to energy-efficient appliances at its restaurants, McDonald’s cut energy waste by 25 per cent; it also plans to source all of its packaging from recycled materials by 2025. Facing the “Sweat-Shop” controversy, Nike raised the minimum age of workers, significantly increased monitoring; and adapted U.S. OSHA clean air standards in all factories. You have cited examples of CEOs scoring self-goal by posting politically incorrect tweets, employees of a restaurant contaminating the food and posting a video, and brand ambassadors causing harm through their actions. Do these instances create a ground for stringent policies regarding social media posts by employees?  Oh sure, every company should have guidelines for their employees (most of them do) to manage customer queries, social media post, employee behaviour etc. Now this is the combined role of leadership, HR and corporate communication as to how to train their employees and monitor their activities from time to time in managing their roles, responsibilities and behaviour when they interact with the stakeholders and public at large on social media platforms etc. Still some incidents may come up, so face it and resolve it in the best interest of the stakeholders both internal and external. For example, Adidas group social media guidelines states, “At the Adidas Group we believe in open communication and you are encouraged to tell the world about your work and share your passion. Whether you do so by participating in a blog, wiki, online social network or any other form of online publishing or discussion is completely up to you.” Further it also mentions that the employee has to identify himself in each such social media post and is personally responsible for the content they published. Also some don’ts by Adidas guidelines state that the employees should not comment on work related to legal matters and confidential agreement. The policy also includes respecting copyright and referencing content. Much of what is circulated on social media is also vitriol, and celebrities are often target of that. How can celebrities shut out the noise while retaining the fan base?   Every celebrity has different strategies to manage the trolls. Recently, a netizen commented on Amitabh Bachchan’s post, calling him 'buddhey' (Old man). Giving a befitting reply, Big B wrote, "I pray to god that nobody insults you when you grow old." So some celebrity use humour, some ignore, some confront, some preach and some sympathise. Alia Bhatt, who has won so many awards for her acting skills became the butt of joke after her rapid fire round of ‘Koffee with Karan’ on her ignorance about the President's name. Alia took this on her stride and said, “I look at it in two ways — I'm either relevant or irrelevant. If you're making a joke about me, I'm relevant. So why should I be upset?”. The actress bounced back with 'Genius of the year' video on social media channels. The video garnered 1.6 million views in a day and the whole film fraternity and even her critics appreciated her sense of humour and the ability to laugh at herself. Which is that one company/ product/ personality that has reinvented itself after bad publicity, and come out much stronger?   Though there are many brands who have bounced back, but there are two which I can mentioned here: In 2019, Nike failed to keep its brand promise of enhancing performance of the athlete in the case of Zion Williamson, an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). What happened during a highly anticipated matchup between Duke and North Carolina was unbelievable as the Nike shoe he was wearing split in half while making a cut and made him sit on the bench with a knee injury. People took to social media and blamed Nike for this debacle and culture jammed Nike core positioning of 'Just do it'. Not only people but even competition joined the party and used this opportunity to malign Nike image and project their shoe as a better option. The consumer backlash was so powerful that the Nike shares plunged down by 1.8 per cent. It was a huge embarrassment for Nike and could have been a big product liability case if Zion would have been seriously injured. Nike crises management team soon came to action and assured that they are working on to identify the issue and take corrective measures. After a month Zion was back playing and wore a Nike custom-made shoes and stated that they were incredible shoes. Similarly, a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found rampant adulteration in honey sold by major Indian brands, with 77 per cent of samples failing purity tests for sugar syrup adulteration. Dabur was one of them. Following the controversy, Dabur India partnered with Amazon India and launched its organic honey. Dabur Organic Honey claims to come with the ‘promise of being completely unprocessed and unpasteurised.’ Also Dabur launched three minute video showing honey collectors on a honey trail in the Sunderban; it highlights the 'beehive to breakfast table' journey of honey.

71 pc Indians cannot afford healthy diet: CSE report

The diet of an average Indian lacks in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains. The consumption of fish, dairy and red meat is within target, it said. New Delhi: Seventy-one per cent Indians cannot afford a healthy diet and 1.7 million die every year due to diseases attributable to poor diet, according to a report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth magazine. The diseases attributable to dietary risk factors include respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer, strokes and coronary heart disease, the report ‘State of India’s Environment 2022: In Figures’ said. The report refers to diets low in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and diets high in processed meat, red meat, and sugary drinks. MS Education Academy Also Read In Pics: World Bicyle Day “Seventy-one percent of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet. The global average is 42 percent,” it said citing the Global Nutrition Report, 2021. The diet of an average Indian lacks in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains. The consumption of fish, dairy and red meat is within target, it said. A healthy diet is considered unaffordable when its cost exceeds 63 percent of a person’s income, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation. In India, adults aged 20 and above have only 35.8g of fruit per day as against the recommended 200g per day and just 168.7g of vegetables per day as against the minimum 300g per day. They consume just 24.9g per day (25 percent of target) of legumes and 3.2g (13 percent of target) of nuts per day. “Despite some progress, diets are not getting healthier. Additionally, they are making increasing demands on the environment, even as unacceptable levels of malnutrition persist in the country,” the report said. “The high human, environmental and economic costs of continuing our current trajectory are so significant that we will pay a far higher price if we fail to act. The global food system falls far short of achieving global goals for both health and the environment,” it said. The report also presents an analysis of food prices. It says that the consumer food price index (CFPI) inflation has seen a 327 per cent increase in the past year, while the consumer price index (CPI) which includes CFPI — has seen an 84 per cent jump. Food seems to be the biggest mover of CPI inflation. The current high levels of food inflation have been driven by the rising cost of production, surging international crop prices and extreme weather-related disruptions. “In fact, our analysis of CRISIL data shows that food prices have increased at a higher rate in rural areas than in urban areas in March-April 2022,” said Richard Mahapatra, managing editor, Down To Earth.

71 pc Indians cannot afford healthy diet: CSE report

The diseases attributable to dietary risk factors include respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer, strokes and coronary heart disease, the report State of Indias Environment 2022 In Figures said.The report refers to diets low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and diets high in processed meat, red meat, and sugary drinks. Seventy-one percent of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet. Seventy-one percent of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet and 1.7 million die every year due to diseases attributable to poor diet, according to a report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth magazine. The diseases attributable to dietary risk factors include respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer, strokes, and coronary heart disease, the report 'State of India's Environment 2022: In Figures' said. The report refers to diets low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and diets high in processed meat, red meat, and sugary drinks. 'Seventy-one percent of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet. The global average is 42 percent,'' it said citing the Global Nutrition Report, 2021. The diet of an average Indian lacks fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. The consumption of fish, dairy and red meat is within target, it said. A healthy diet is considered unaffordable when its cost exceeds 63 percent of a person's income, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation. In India, adults aged 20 and above have only 35.8g of fruit per day as against the recommended 200g per day and just 168.7g of vegetables per day as against the minimum 300g per day. They consume just 24.9g per day (25 percent of target) of legumes and 3.2g (13 percent of target) of nuts per day. ''Despite some progress, diets are not getting healthier. Additionally, they are making increasing demands on the environment, even as unacceptable levels of malnutrition persist in the country,'' the report said. ''The high human, environmental and economic costs of continuing our current trajectory are so significant that we will pay a far higher price if we fail to act. The global food system falls far short of achieving global goals for both health and the environment,'' it said. The report also presents an analysis of food prices. It says that the consumer food price index (CFPI) inflation has seen a 327 percent increase in the past year, while the consumer price index (CPI) – which includes CFPI -- has seen an 84 percent jump. "Food seems to be the biggest mover of CPI inflation. The current high levels of food inflation have been driven by the rising cost of production, surging international crop prices, and extreme weather-related disruptions. ''In fact, our analysis of CRISIL data shows that food prices have increased at a higher rate in rural areas than in urban areas in March-April 2022,'' said Richard Mahapatra, managing editor, Down To Earth.

Is affordability a reason why Indians cannot maintain a healthy diet?

Adults aged 20 and above in India consume just 35.8g of fruit per day, compared to the required 200g, and only 168.7g of vegetables per day, compared to the least 300g. They consume just 24.9g of legumes per day (25 percent of the objective) and 3.2g of nuts per day (13 percent of the target). At least 71% of Indians cannot afford a nutritious food, and 1.7 million people die each year as a result of illnesses caused by inadequate diet, according to a survey produced by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth magazine. According to the study 'State of India's Environment 2022: In Figures,' disorders attributed to dietary risk factors include respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer, strokes, and coronary heart disease. Diets low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and heavy in processed meat, red meat, and sugary beverages are mentioned in the study. "A nutritious diet is out of reach for 71% of Indians.," it said. According to the Global Nutrition Report 2021, the global average is 42 per cent. The average Indian's diet is deficient in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. It said that consumption of fish, dairy, and red meat is within aim. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, a nutritious diet is deemed expensive when the cost surpasses 63 percent of a person's income. Adults aged 20 and above in India consume just 35.8g of fruit per day, compared to the required 200g, and only 168.7g of vegetables per day, compared to the least 300g. They consume just 24.9g of legumes per day (25 percent of the objective) and 3.2g of nuts per day (13 percent of the target). "Despite some progress, diets are not improving. Furthermore, they place rising demands on the environment, even as unacceptable levels of starvation continue in the country," according to the research. "The enormous human, environmental, and economic consequences of continuing on our current path are so severe that we will pay a much larger price if we do not act." "The global food system falls well short of meeting global health and environmental goals," it stated. The study also includes a pricing analysis of food. According to the report, consumer food price index (CFPI) inflation has risen 327 percent in the last year, while the consumer price index (CPI) – which includes CFPI – has risen 84 percent.

World Bicycle Day 2022: दिल्ली के इन इलाकों में सबसे ज्यादा साइकिल चला रहे हैं लोग, विश्व साइकिल दिवस पर देखें ये दिलचस्प आंकड़े

World Bicycle Day 2022: साइकिल...जो किफायती भी है और इसे चलाने में किसी ईंधन की जरूरत भी नहीं होती है। साथ ही यह आपको हेल्दी भी रख सकती है... और हां पर्यावरण के लिहाज से भी यह काफी मुफीद है। दरअसल आज 'वर्ल्ड बाइसिकल डे' है और हम आपको बताएंगे राजधानी दिल्ली से जुड़े इसके दिलचस्प आंकड़े। ​दिल्ली में 27.2 फीसदी लोग चलाते हैं साइकिल World Bicycle Day 2022: नैशनल फैमिली हेल्थ सर्वे-5 (2019-20) की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, राजधानी में 27.2% लोग साइकिल चलाते हैं, जबकि 53.1% दोपहिया और महज 19.4% लोग कार चलाते हैं। एक्सपर्ट के अनुसार साइकिल और दोपहिया की अधिक संख्या के बावजूद शहर को कारों के हिसाब से डिजाइन किया जा रहा है। एक्सपर्ट की मानें तो इस समय फोकस नॉन मोटराइज्ड गाड़ियों पर होना चाहिए। सीएसई की एक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार राजधानी में करीब 25% जमीन का इस्तेमाल सड़कों के लिए हो रहा है। अगर प्लानिंग में साइकिल और छोटे साधनों को शामिल नहीं किया गया तो समस्या विकराल होंगी। ​सिंगापुर मॉडल हो सकता है समाधान World Bicycle Day 2022: सीएसई की डीजी सुनीता नारायण के अनुसार गाड़ियों को कम करने का सबसे सफल मॉडल सिंगापुर है। उन्होंने बताया कि सिंगापुर में अगर गाड़ी लेनी हो तो उसका ऑक्शन होता है। वहां पहले यह तय किया जाता है कि कितनी गाड़ियां और चल सकती हैं। इसके बाद उतनी गाड़ियों का ऑक्शन होता है। नीलामी में रेट काफी ऊंचे जाते हैं। दरअसल, सिंगापुर का पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट इतना अच्छा है कि लोगों को गाड़ियों की कमी नहीं खलती। ​दिल्ली में साइकिल और दोपहिया असुरक्षित क्यों? World Bicycle Day 2022: ग्रीनपीस के अविनाश चंचल के अनुसार, एक तरफ डीडीए कह रहा है कि क्षतिपूर्ति पेड़ लगाने के लिए जगह नहीं हैं। दूसरे राज्यों में इन्हें लगाने की मंजूरी दी जाए। वहीं दूसरी तरफ इस शहर की 25 प्रतिशत जगह सड़कें घेर चुकी हैं। अभी कई सड़कों को चौड़ा करने का काम चल रहा है। वहीं राहगीरी फाउंडेशन की को-फाउंडर सारिका पांडा भट्ट के अनुसार दिल्ली-एनसीआर में लोग सड़कों पर साइकिल और दोपहिए को सुरक्षित नहीं मानते हैं। इसलिए सरकार को साइकिल से चलने वालों और पैदल यात्रियों को अब प्राइम फोकस में रखना चाहिए। जिसके तहत वॉक-वे और साइकिल ट्रैक बनाए जाएं। ​राजधानी में कहां हैं साइकिल ट्रैक World Bicycle Day 2022: दिल्ली में तीन प्रमुख साइकिल ट्रैक बने हुए हैं। इनमें आजादपुर के मॉल रोड पर 7.1 किलोमीटर का साइकिल ट्रैक, महरौली से बदरपुर वाया साकेत पर 3.5 किलोमीटर और आंबेडकर नगर से लोदी रोड बीआरटी कॉरिडोर पर 12 किलोमीटर का डेडिकेटेड साइकिल ट्रैक है। द्वारका के पार्क आदि के पास भी साइकिल ट्रैक बनाए गए थे। ​कहां हो रही है ज्यादा साइक्लिंग धौला कुआं से ग्यारह मूर्ति, राष्ट्रपति भवन से इंडिया गेट, द्वारका से नजफगढ़ वेटलैंड, गुरुग्राम-फरीदाबाद रोड, संजय वन, डोमेस्टिक टर्मिनल से मानेसर, असोला भाटी लेक, अरावली देश में किसका कितना प्रतिशत (2019-20 के आधार पर) साइकिल चलाने वाले 50.4 % दोपहिया चलाने वाले 49.7 % कार चलाने वाले 7.5 % ​राजधानी के लोग क्यों एक सीमित समय में चलाते हैं साइकिल रैफिक शुरू होने के बाद साइकिल सुरक्षित नहीं रह जाती है साइकिल ट्रैक जहां बने हैं उनका इस्तेमाल पार्किंग और रेहड़ियों के लिए हो रहा है गाड़ी चलाने वाले सुरक्षा को देखते हुए नहीं मेंटेन करते उचित दूरी साइक्लिंग के फायदे (Cycling Benefits) दिल को फिट रखता है वजन का संतुलन बनाए रखता है डायबिटिज के खतरे को कम करता है मांसपेशियां मजबूत होती हैं गठिया की रोकथाम में मददगार

देश के 244 जिलों में घटा वनीकरण क्षेत्र : सीएसई

देश की 70 फीसद से ज्यादा नदियों के मॉनिटरिंग स्टेशन्स में चिंताजनक आंकड़े दर्ज हुए हैं। जिसमें नदियों के पानी में आयरन व निकल की भारी मात्रा पायी गई है। इसके अलावा 6907 किमी तक फैले भारत के एक तिहाई समुद्री तट मृदा अपर्दन का शिकार हुआ है। इसका कारण 1990 से 2018 के बीच समुद्री जल में बढ़ोत्तरी है। यह जानकारी सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड इनवायरमेंट द्वारा जारी रिपोर्ट में सामने आयी है। मिट्टी की गुणवत्ता में दर्ज की जा रही गिरावट रिपोर्ट के अनुसार देश में मिट्टी की गुणवत्ता में लगातार गिरावट दर्ज की जा रही है। कृषि क्षेत्र में फसलों की उपज लागत में 2012-13 के मुकाबले 2018-19 तक 35 फीसद की बढ़ोत्तरी देखी गई। फसलों पर निर्भर नागरिकों की कृषि से आय में 2012-13 के मुकाबले 2018-19 में 37 फीसद गिरावट दर्ज की गई है। वहीं देश में 2019 से 2021 के बीच 638 जिलों में से 244 जिलों में वनीकरण क्षेत्र घटा है। 2050 तक जलवायु परिवर्तन के लिए घटता वनीकरण एक हॉट स्पॉट बन जाएगा। रिपोर्ट में कहा गया कि मार्च 2022 में देश ने रिकॉर्ड गर्मी देखी गई। देश में प्रति वर्ष 3.5 मिलियन टन से ज्यादा प्लास्टिक कचरा हो रहा उत्पन्न जोकि बीते 10 वर्षों में उच्चतम स्तर पर रही। इसके अलावा देश में 1.7 मिलियन लोगों की मौत अस्वास्थ्यवर्धक भोजन खाने से उपजी बीमारियों से हुई है। वहीं देश में 2019 -20 के दौरान 3.5 मिलियन टन प्लास्टिक कचरा उत्पन्न हुआ जिसमें 2020-21 में 5 फीसद की बढ़ोत्तरी हो गई। वहीं हमारा इलेक्ट्रिक कचरा भी 32 फीसद से अधिक बढ़ चुका है। लेकिन इसका निस्तारण प्रतिशत बहुत कम है। देश के 17 सतत विकास लक्ष्यों को हासिल करने के लिए देश ने 295 प्राथमिक इंडीकेटर्स चिन्हित किए हैं। जिसके में केवल 115 की मॉनिटरिंग हो पा रही है।

More Than 1.7 million Indians die Annually due to Diseases Attributable to Unhealthy Diets: Report

The diet of an Indian, on average, lacks fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains, as revealed by the State of India's Environment 2022 report. Patna/Delhi: Despite the Central government's increasing food grain output and stock records, more than 1.7 million Indians die due to diseases attributable to unhealthy diets. The diet of an Indian, on average, lacks fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains, as revealed by the State of India's Environment 2022 report. "More than 1.7 million Indians die every year due to diseases that can be attributed to dietary risk factors and weight levels," said the latest report released by the Centre for Science and Environment and Down To Earth magazine online on Thursday to mark the approaching World Environment Day. Sunita Narain, editor, Down To Earth, in reference to the importance of figures, said, "Data is about measurement. The better we measure, the better we will get at management -- this is what we know, which is why we put together this dataset each year. It helps us make sense of the changes we see in our world; it helps us understand what needs to be done". The report lists diseases like respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer, strokes and coronary heart disease. Dietary composition refers to diets low in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and diets high in processed meat, red meat, and sugary drinks; the weight levels refer to whether an individual is underweight, overweight or obese. "About 42% of the world's population cannot afford a healthy diet – the figure is a huge 71% for India. It suggests that the diet of an average Indian does not contain enough fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains," the report said. According to the report, food systems and practices impact the environment. While milk production is responsible for the lion's share of greenhouse gas emissions and land use, grains account for the biggest share of freshwater use, nitrogen and phosphorous applications. "Despite some progress, diets are not getting healthier. Additionally, they are making increasing demands on the environment, even as unacceptable levels of malnutrition persist in the country. The high human, environmental and economic costs of continuing our current trajectory are so significant that we will pay a far higher price if we fail to act. The global food system falls far short of achieving global goals for both health and the environment." The report also presents an analysis of food prices. The consumer food price index (CFPI) inflation has seen a 327% increase in the past year, while the consumer price index (CPI) – which includes CFPI -- has seen an 84% jump. "Food seems to be the biggest mover of CPI inflation. The current high levels of food inflation have been driven by the rising cost of production, surging international crop prices and extreme weather-related disruptions. In fact, our analysis of CRISIL data shows that food prices have increased at a higher rate in rural areas than in urban areas in March-April 2022," said Richard Mahapatra, managing editor, Down To Earth. Mahapatra said data re-generates debates and discussions. "This year marks a milestone both for India and the planet. India is celebrating its 75th year of Independence, and we have a promise of a 'New India' with quantified development goals to meet. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the Stockholm conference, the UN's first meeting on the human environment. This report tries to do justice to both: by making an assessment of whether the promised 'New India' will come to pass (in the case of the former). And by documenting and analysing (in the case of the latter) how the planet's environment has been in the last 50 years." "Most of the data that the report carries is based on official government statistics that are available in the public domain. We simply analyse it and present it with a researcher's rigour and a journalist's insight," he said. The report highlighted that while the cost of cultivation has increased in India by almost 35% between 2012-13 and 2018-19, the share of the income from cultivation in an agricultural household has gone down from 48% in 2012-13 to 37% in 2018-19. At the same time, 50% of agricultural households in the country are reeling under debt. On average, every household has a debt burden of over Rs 74,000, and about 29 farmers and farm labourers die by suicide daily.

Health: Above 70 per cent Indians unable to afford healthy diet, says CSE report [ Read Full Story at: https://www.dynamitenews.com/story/health-above-70-per-cent-indians-unable-to-afford-healthy-diet-says-cse-report ]

As per a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth magazine, seventy-one per cent Indians cannot afford a healthy diet. The global average is 42 percent.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px;">The report further says that about 17 lakh people die every year due to poor diet resulting in respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer, strokes and coronary heart disease.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px;">The diet of an average Indian lacks in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains. The consumption of fish, dairy and red meat is within target, the report stated.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px;">In India, adults aged 20 and above have only 35.8g of fruit per day as against the recommended 200g per day and just 168.7g of vegetables per day as against the minimum 300g per day.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px;">They consume just 24.9g per day (25 percent of target) of legumes and 3.2g (13 percent of target) of nuts per day.</span></p> </div>

One Of The Hottest Summers Led To Increased Ozone Levels: CSE Analysis

The summer of 2022 – one of the Hottest in history – has witnessed widespread excessive Ozone Levels, making the air of Delhi-NCR more toxic, while other metros are not far behind, said a latest Analysis released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Friday. Among the six big metros, Mumbai is second, followed by Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru – with the last two having longer durations of exceedance despite lower frequency compared to the other metros, as per the latest air quality Analysis by CSE released in the run up to the World Environment Day on June 5. Geographical spread of ground-level Ozone pollution in Delhi-NCR during March-April was highest in past four years.Ground-level Ozone usually exceeds the safety standard on all days of summer in some location in Delhi-NCR every year. “But this year, the spatial spread (number of stations exceeding the standard across the city) has been much higher.On an average, 16 stations have exceeded the standard daily this March and April, which is 33 per cent increase from previous year March and April. During 2020, when lockdowns had reduced the precursor gases needed for formation of ground-level Ozone, the number was down to 10 stations daily,” the CSE Analysis showed. There have been only six days this year so far that have registered no exceedance among any air quality monitoring stations of Delhi-NCR. There were 15 days of no exceedance last year during the same period (Jan-May). Similarly, 2020 and 2019 had 24 days each of no exceedance respectively. Foggy and cold conditions of January conventionally inhibit formation of ground-level Ozone but Ozone was found to be exceeding at multiple stations on 28 days this January.”It is up from 11 days and 19 days recorded in January of 2020 and 2021 respectively.Even, the months of monsoon records exceedance in some locations,” it said. After Delhi-NCR that recorded Ozone exceedance on almost all days of this summer, Mumbai with 75 days of exceedance was the second most impacted metro. Kolkata-Howrah and Hyderabad registered 43 days of exceedance each.Even though the number of exceedance days in Kolkata-Howrah has been lower than that of Mumbai, its citywide concentration is 30 per cent higher than in Mumbai for this summer season. The denser network of monitoring stations in Mumbai is able to catch instances of Ozone exceedance better.Greater Mumbai has 26 monitoring stations while Greater Kolkata has only 10 stations. “Despite the warning signs, the problem of the toxic threat of ground-level Ozone has not attracted adequate policy or public attention for mitigation and prevention,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, research and advocacy, CSE. To drive home the point about the danger posed by it to human health, the CSE Analysis mentioned the 2020 ‘State of Global Air’ report that stated that age-standardised rates of death attributable to Ozone is among the highest in India. The criterion says it may exceed the limits on two per cent of the days in a year, but not on two consecutive days of monitoring.In other words, there should not be more than eight days in a year when the Ozone standard is breached, and none of those allowed exceedances can be on two consecutive days. “The standard practice of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to average out the data of all stations in the city to determine daily AQI does not work for ground-level Ozone as it is a short-lived and hyper-localised pollutant.A citywide average concentration level over an extended time frame does not indicate the severity of the problem and health implication from local build up and exposure for people living in hotspots,” says Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, urban lab, CSE. Ground-level Ozone has become a year-long problem: Even though the Ozone exceedance is seen to worsen during summer months, it remains a year-long problem as at least few locations continue to record exceedance throughout the year. This Analysis tracks exceedances at each station in a city. Breach of the standard by even one station in the city is considered exceedance by the city.Days with multiple stations exceeding the standard indicates the severity of the spatial spread and number of people exposed. Given that the data is capped at 200 microgram per cubic metre by the CPCB, it is not possible to determine how high the concentration really goes. It was noted that the Ozone data available on CPCB portal never exceeds 200 micrograms per cubic metre, while data for the corresponding time on Delhi Pollution Control Committee may show higher levels.Therefore, due to this capping of data it is not possible to understand the nature of peaking in the city. “This needs to be addressed as there are two sets of standards for Ozone – eight-hourly standard of 100 Ig/m3 and one-hourly standard of 180 Ig/m3.Capping can make assessment of one-hourly standard challenging.This study has assessed trends only based on the eight-hourly standard,” the CSE said. Ozone mitigation demands stringent control of gases from all combustion sources including vehicles, industry, power plants and open burning in the entire region.It is therefore necessary that while designing mitigation of particulate matter the key focus of action strategy today, is also calibrated for reduction of Ozone precursor gases.

Ground-level Ozone Pollution In Delhi-NCR In March-April Highest In 4 Years: CSE

The summer of 2022 -- one of the hottest in history -- has witnessed widespread ozone exceedance, making the air of Delhi-NCR more toxic, according to an analysis conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The green think tank's assessment is based on the publicly available granular real time data (15-minute averages) from the CPCB's official online portal Central Control Room for Air Quality Management. In Delhi-NCR, the researchers captured data from 58 official stations. The analysis tracked exceedances at each station. Breach of the standard by even one station is considered exceedance by the city. Days with multiple stations exceeding the standard indicates the severity of the spatial spread and number of people exposed. This year, due to the early onslaught of heatwaves, the spatial spread of ground-level ozone started in March itself with April being the worst so far, the green thinktank said. The dangerous build-up of ground-level ozone can happen anytime during the year, but it is usually in small pockets. For it to have wider spatial spread, hot and sunny weather conditions are needed which are generally present in summer, especially during May. But this year, the frequency and spread of ozone exceedance started early -- in the month of March. “Ground-level ozone usually exceeds the safety standard on all days of summer at some locations in Delhi-NCR every year. But the spatial spread (number of stations exceeding the standard across the city) has been much higher this year. “On an average, 16 stations have exceeded the standard daily this March and April, which is 33 per cent increase from March and April 2021. During 2020, when lockdowns had reduced the precursor gases needed for formation of ground-level ozone, the number was down to 10 stations daily,” the report said. Dr K S Shooting Range in south Delhi is the most chronically affected in Delhi-NCR. The ground-level ozone concentration exceeded the standard at this location for 85 days this March-May. JLN Stadium, RK Puram and Nehru Nagar followed close behind. Greater Noida is the major hotspot outside Delhi. Faridabad has least instances of ground-level ozone exceedances in the region, it said. Patparganj in East Delhi registered the highest increase in the number of days exceeding the standard as compared to the average of the last three years. It registered a dramatic jump of 68 additional days with exceedance. It was followed by Noida's Sector 116 and Mandir Marg, next to the President's Estate. Siri Fort and Bawana in Delhi registered the most reduction in the frequency of exceedances compared to average of previous three years. Their exceedances were down by over 40 days this year. Gurugram Sector 51, Dwarka Sector 8, and Najafgarh were other locations with the maximum improvement. After Delhi-NCR that recorded ozone exceedance on almost all days of this summer, Mumbai with 75 days of exceedance was the second-most impacted metro. Kolkata-Howrah and Hyderabad registered 43 days of exceedance each. Even though the number of exceedance days in Kolkata-Howrah has been lower than that of Mumbai, its citywide concentration is 30 per cent higher than in Mumbai for this summer season. The CSE said the complex chemistry of ozone makes it a difficult pollutant to track and mitigate. Ground-level ambient ozone is not directly emitted from any source. It is produced from complex interactions between NOx and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are emitted from vehicles, power plants, factories, and other combustion sources. These undergo cyclic reactions in the presence of sunlight to generate ground-level ozone. VOCs can also be emitted from natural sources, such as plants. This highly reactive gas has serious health consequences. Those with respiratory conditions, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and particularly children with premature lungs and older adults are at serious risk. This can inflame and damage airways, make lungs susceptible to infection, aggravate asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis and increase the frequency of asthma attacks leading to increased hospitalisation. PTI GVS RCJ

AQI dips to very poor after over a month

New Delhi: The air quality of the capital deteriorated suddenly to the “very poor” category on Wednesday due to dust lifting. The air quality index (AQI) was at 322 compared with 215 — “poor” — on Tuesday. The air quality of the capital has mostly hovered in the “poor” category in the past three months. The last time when Delhi recorded a higher AQI this year was on February 1 at 346; on April 19, it was 317, according to Central Pollution Control Board. However, the air quality improved by Wednesday night as AQI touched 298 at 9pm. Gufran Beig, founder project director of System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), said, “As part of a westerly disturbance, there was a convective storm in northwest India, including Delhi, which can be confirmed from satellite image. Due to this, highly gusty winds led to high dust emissions having origin in Delhi and surrounding Haryana areas and resulted in ‘very poor’ category of AQI.” This episode is likely to subside by Wednesday, but another convective dust system, relatively of a large scale, is developing in the desert area of Rajasthan and adjoining Delhi, Beig added. “AQI may go back to ‘very poor’ from June 2 evening for two days unless sufficient per-monsoon shower occurs, but rain is unlikely,” he said. SAFAR said PM10 was the primary pollutant due to intrusion of dust by westerly winds. Dust (size above 2.5 micrometer) contributes to 71% of PM10. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment, said, “Local and background emissions also continue to remain high.”