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Climate Change and Green Economy

Humidity plays major role in Delhi’s heat wave conditions

New Delhi: Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi’s base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: “March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year’s data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent.” The reasons for very low humidity in March are mainly two. “March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March,” Somvanshi said. “This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March. “Usually, the anti-cyclonic development over north India happens in mid-April, because of which temperature increases and humidity decreases. So, the entire north India is dry. But this year, it happened in mid-March itself, so March had unusually low humidity compared to previous Marches,” he added. In March, the month starts with generally 60-70 per cent humidity, which decreases to about 40-odd per cent by March end. This year, instead of March end, this 40-point level was reached in mid-March itself. And April already has low humidity, he said. Humidity has been increasing in north India over the last few years and the combination of high temperature and high humidity increases the heat index; what we call in popular parlance, ‘feels like’ temperature – ’25 but feels like 35′. This phenomenon happens generally in the pre-monsoon period, Somvanshi explained. Agreeing that for Delhi, March is a transition month, IMD’s former director general (meteorology) Ranjan Kelkar said: “February is a winter month and March is supposed to be a summer month. The transition – that usually occurs around the festival of Holi – sometimes is very smooth and sometimes, it is very abrupt. This transition can be either way – cold weather may extend into March or warm weather may fit in early.” Kelkar also pointed towards the role of WD and the wind. “In winters, if there is going to be WDs, they come, as the name says, from west side of India – from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They bring in moisture, so WD in winters will bring rains in north Indian plains and snow in the upper regions of the Himalayas. “Another factor is wind. Variations in rainfall are highly localised as it is dependent on local terrain and topography. But when the ‘wind’ is involved, a large area is influenced by the wind. Dry wind is blowing, then a large part of the country will be dry,” he said. “The winds are dry (now) as they are not bringing in any moisture. These are southerly winds. In Delhi, April and May are always dry months. Dust storms are common in April and May because there is no moisture,” Kelkar said. “In June, as the monsoon approaches, the atmosphere becomes laden with moisture and that is worse because that makes Delhi’s atmosphere very stuffy. This is the time when Delhi gets thunderstorms with rains.”

Climate Change and Green Economy

Humidity plays major role in Delhi's heat wave conditions

Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: "March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year's data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent." The reasons for very low humidity in March are mainly two. "March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March," Somvanshi said. "This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March. "Usually, the anti-cyclonic development over north India happens in mid-April, because of which temperature increases and humidity decreases. So, the entire north India is dry. But this year, it happened in mid-March itself, so March had unusually low humidity compared to previous Marches," he added. In March, the month starts with generally 60-70 per cent humidity, which decreases to about 40-odd per cent by March end. This year, instead of March end, this 40-point level was reached in mid-March itself. And April already has low humidity, he said. Humidity has been increasing in north India over the last few years and the combination of high temperature and high humidity increases the heat index; what we call in popular parlance, 'feels like' temperature - '25 but feels like 35'. This phenomenon happens generally in the pre-monsoon period, Somvanshi explained. Agreeing that for Delhi, March is a transition month, IMD's former director general (meteorology) Ranjan Kelkar said: "February is a winter month and March is supposed to be a summer month. The transition - that usually occurs around the festival of Holi - sometimes is very smooth and sometimes, it is very abrupt. This transition can be either way - cold weather may extend into March or warm weather may fit in early." Kelkar also pointed towards the role of WD and the wind. "In winters, if there is going to be WDs, they come, as the name says, from west side of India - from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They bring in moisture, so WD in winters will bring rains in north Indian plains and snow in the upper regions of the Himalayas. "Another factor is wind. Variations in rainfall are highly localised as it is dependent on local terrain and topography. But when the 'wind' is involved, a large area is influenced by the wind. Dry wind is blowing, then a large part of the country will be dry," he said. "The winds are dry (now) as they are not bringing in any moisture. These are southerly winds. In Delhi, April and May are always dry months. Dust storms are common in April and May because there is no moisture," Kelkar said. "In June, as the monsoon approaches, the atmosphere becomes laden with moisture and that is worse because that makes Delhi's atmosphere very stuffy. This is the time when Delhi gets thunderstorms with rains."

Climate Change and Green Economy

Humidity plays major role in Delhi's heat wave conditions

Climate Change and Green Economy

Humidity Plays Major Role In Delhi’s Heat Wave Conditions

Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi’s base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: “March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year’s data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent.” The reasons for very low humidity in March are mainly two. “March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March,” Somvanshi said. “This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March. “Usually, the anti-cyclonic development over north India happens in mid-April, because of which temperature increases and humidity decreases. So, the entire north India is dry. But this year, it happened in mid-March itself, so March had unusually low humidity compared to previous Marches,” he added. In March, the month starts with generally 60-70 per cent humidity, which decreases to about 40-odd per cent by March end. This year, instead of March end, this 40-point level was reached in mid-March itself. And April already has low humidity, he said. Humidity has been increasing in north India over the last few years and the combination of high temperature and high humidity increases the heat index; what we call in popular parlance, ‘feels like’ temperature – ’25 but feels like 35′. This phenomenon happens generally in the pre-monsoon period, Somvanshi explained. Agreeing that for Delhi, March is a transition month, IMD’s former director general (meteorology) Ranjan Kelkar said: “February is a winter month and March is supposed to be a summer month. The transition – that usually occurs around the festival of Holi – sometimes is very smooth and sometimes, it is very abrupt. This transition can be either way – cold weather may extend into March or warm weather may fit in early.” Kelkar also pointed towards the role of WD and the wind. “In winters, if there is going to be WDs, they come, as the name says, from west side of India – from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They bring in moisture, so WD in winters will bring rains in north Indian plains and snow in the upper regions of the Himalayas. “Another factor is wind. Variations in rainfall are highly localised as it is dependent on local terrain and topography. But when the ‘wind’ is involved, a large area is influenced by the wind. Dry wind is blowing, then a large part of the country will be dry,” he said. “The winds are dry (now) as they are not bringing in any moisture. These are southerly winds. In Delhi, April and May are always dry months. Dust storms are common in April and May because there is no moisture,” Kelkar said. “In June, as the monsoon approaches, the atmosphere becomes laden with moisture and that is worse because that makes Delhi’s atmosphere very stuffy. This is the time when Delhi gets thunderstorms with rains.”

Climate Change and Green Economy

Humidity plays major role in Delhi’s heat wave conditions

Climate Change and Green Economy

Humidity plays major role in Delhi’s heat wave conditions

Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi’s base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: “March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year’s data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent.” The reasons for very low humidity in March are mainly two. “March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March,” Somvanshi said. “This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March. “Usually, the anti-cyclonic development over north India happens in mid-April, because of which temperature increases and humidity decreases. So, the entire north India is dry. But this year, it happened in mid-March itself, so March had unusually low humidity compared to previous Marches,” he added. In March, the month starts with generally 60-70 per cent humidity, which decreases to about 40-odd per cent by March end. This year, instead of March end, this 40-point level was reached in mid-March itself. And April already has low humidity, he said. Humidity has been increasing in north India over the last few years and the combination of high temperature and high humidity increases the heat index; what we call in popular parlance, ‘feels like’ temperature – ’25 but feels like 35′. This phenomenon happens generally in the pre-monsoon period, Somvanshi explained. Agreeing that for Delhi, March is a transition month, IMD’s former director general (meteorology) Ranjan Kelkar said: “February is a winter month and March is supposed to be a summer month. The transition – that usually occurs around the festival of Holi – sometimes is very smooth and sometimes, it is very abrupt. This transition can be either way – cold weather may extend into March or warm weather may fit in early.” Kelkar also pointed towards the role of WD and the wind. “In winters, if there is going to be WDs, they come, as the name says, from west side of India – from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They bring in moisture, so WD in winters will bring rains in north Indian plains and snow in the upper regions of the Himalayas. “Another factor is wind. Variations in rainfall are highly localised as it is dependent on local terrain and topography. But when the ‘wind’ is involved, a large area is influenced by the wind. Dry wind is blowing, then a large part of the country will be dry,” he said. “The winds are dry (now) as they are not bringing in any moisture. These are southerly winds. In Delhi, April and May are always dry months. Dust storms are common in April and May because there is no moisture,” Kelkar said. “In June, as the monsoon approaches, the atmosphere becomes laden with moisture and that is worse because that makes Delhi’s atmosphere very stuffy. This is the time when Delhi gets thunderstorms with rains.” 20220409-081203

Climate Change and Green Economy

Humidity plays major role in Delhi's heat wave conditions

Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: 'March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year's data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent.' The reasons for very low humidity in March are mainly two. 'March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March,' Somvanshi said. 'This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March. 'Usually, the anti-cyclonic development over north India happens in mid-April, because of which temperature increases and humidity decreases. So, the entire north India is dry. But this year, it happened in mid-March itself, so March had unusually low humidity compared to previous Marches,' he added. In March, the month starts with generally 60-70 per cent humidity, which decreases to about 40-odd per cent by March end. This year, instead of March end, this 40-point level was reached in mid-March itself. And April already has low humidity, he said. Humidity has been increasing in north India over the last few years and the combination of high temperature and high humidity increases the heat index; what we call in popular parlance, 'feels like' temperature - '25 but feels like 35'. This phenomenon happens generally in the pre-monsoon period, Somvanshi explained. Agreeing that for Delhi, March is a transition month, IMD's former director general (meteorology) Ranjan Kelkar said: 'February is a winter month and March is supposed to be a summer month. The transition - that usually occurs around the festival of Holi - sometimes is very smooth and sometimes, it is very abrupt. This transition can be either way - cold weather may extend into March or warm weather may fit in early.' Kelkar also pointed towards the role of WD and the wind. 'In winters, if there is going to be WDs, they come, as the name says, from west side of India - from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They bring in moisture, so WD in winters will bring rains in north Indian plains and snow in the upper regions of the Himalayas. 'Another factor is wind. Variations in rainfall are highly localised as it is dependent on local terrain and topography. But when the 'wind' is involved, a large area is influenced by the wind. Dry wind is blowing, then a large part of the country will be dry,' he said. 'The winds are dry (now) as they are not bringing in any moisture. These are southerly winds. In Delhi, April and May are always dry months. Dust storms are common in April and May because there is no moisture,' Kelkar said. 'In June, as the monsoon approaches, the atmosphere becomes laden with moisture and that is worse because that makes Delhi's atmosphere very stuffy. This is the time when Delhi gets thunderstorms with rains.' --IANS

Climate Change and Green Economy

Humidity plays major role in Delhi's heat wave conditions

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

99 posto ljudi udiše zagađeni zrak

Po podacima Svjetske zdravstvene organizacije (WHO) gotovo svi žitelji svijeta udišu zrak koji ne zadovoljava temeljne standarde o njegovoj kvaliteti i izloženi su pretjerano visokim razinama sitnih onečišćujućih čestica Otprilike šest mjeseci nakon što je pooštrio smjernice o kvaliteti zraka, WHO je u ponedjeljak objavio ažurirane podatke o njegovoj kvaliteti koje se temelje na satelitskim snimkama i informacijama iz sve većeg broja gradova, mjesta i sela širom svijeta, a radi se o oko 6000 mjesta i gradova iz 117 zemalja svijeta. Procijenjeno je da 99 posto svjetske populacije udiše zrak koji prelazi utvrđene granice o kvaliteti zraka, često prepunog čestica koje mogu prodrijeti duboko u pluća, ući u vene i arterije i uzrokovati razne bolesti. Kvaliteta zraka najlošija je u regijama istočnog Sredozemlja i jugoistočne Azije, a potom slijede afričke zemlje, stoji u godišnjem izvješću UN-ova zdravstvenog tijela. Svake godine više od 7 milijuna ljudi u svijetu umire od posljedica onečišćenja zraka, rekla je voditeljica WHO-a za zaštitu okoliša, klimatske promjene i zdravlje, Maria Neira. Baza podataka, koja tradicionalno evidentira dvije vrste čestica poznatih kao PM2,5 i PM10, prvi put uključuje i mjerenje dušikova dioksida na tlu. Posljednja verzija baze podataka datira iz 2018. Dušikov dioksid uglavnom proizvode motori s unutarnjim izgaranjem i najčešće ga nalazimo u urbanim sredinama. Izloženost takvim česticama može rezultirati respiratornim bolestima poput astme i simptomima kao što su neprestani nadražajni kašalj i poteškoće s disanjem. Nerijetko zbog tih simptoma ljudi završe na hitnoj pomoći ili na liječenju u bolnicama, stoji u priopćenju WHO-a. Izvor štetnih čestica su, osim prometa i transporta, elektrane, poljoprivreda, spaljivanje otpada i industrija, ali i prirodni izvori, poput pustinjske prašine. Svijet u razvoju posebno je teško pogođen: u Indiji je evidentirana vrlo visoka razina PM10, a u Kini je uočena visok nivo PM2,5, pokazala je baza podataka. "Čestice, posebno PM2,5, mogu prodrijeti duboko u pluća i ući u krvotok te prouzročiti kardiovaskularne, cerebrovaskularne i respiratorne probleme. Imamo i dokaze o tomu da čestice utječu i na ostale organe i uzrokuju razne druge bolesti", stoji u izvješću WHO-a. Indija i svijet moraju se pripremiti za velike promjene da bi se pokušalo obuzdati daljnje onečišćenje zraka, a to su korištenje električnih vozila, odmak od fosilnih goriva, masovno povećanje zelene energije i domaćinstva u kojima se otpad razdvaja, kaže Anumita Roychowdhury, stručnjakinja za onečišćenje zraka Centra za znanost i okoliš, aktivističke organizacije iz New Delhija. Šef WHO-a Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus govorio je o potrebi "hitnog djelovanja na rješavanju dvostrukih izazova za zdravlje, a to su onečišćenje zraka i klimatske promjene" Kazao je da WHO zagovara "hitnu potrebu da svijet što prije postane puno manje ovisan o fosilnim gorivima". Zdravstvena organizacija pozvala je mjerodavna tijela da donesu odluku o subvencijama koje će omogućiti privatnim kućanstvima prijelaz na čistu energiju s obzirom na to da je dim iz peći i kamina glavni faktor globalnog onečišćenja zraka. Usto, smatra WHO, treba što prije poduzeti odgovarajuće mjere za dobrobit pješaka, biciklista i korisnika javnog prijevoza. Prema izvješću o kvaliteti zraka, jasno su izražene razlike između bogatijih i siromašnijih regija. U zemljama s visokim dohotkom 17 posto gradova ispunjava vrijednosti smjernica WHO-a o onečišćujućim česticama, a u zemljama s niskim i srednjim dohotkom samo njih jedan posto.

Down To Earth

Environment: Much-hyped PMAY not to Contribute to India's Cooling Demand Reduction Goals

An assessment by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has revealed that PMAY is transitioning towards materials that may not be able to contribute to India's cooling demand reduction goals. Patna: Contrary to the focus of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on climate change mitigation, India's much-hyped Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY), the world's biggest housing programme underway, is not building thermally comfortable houses for poor and marginalised people. This was revealed in the latest State of India's Environment 2022 report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based non-profit organisation. "An assessment by the CSE has revealed that the PMAY is transitioning towards materials that may not be able to contribute to India's cooling demand reduction goals." The report has made it clear that cooling materials or materials appropriate to the native climate are essential for ensuring resource efficiency, thermal comfort and climate resilience. "The nation is moving towards pucca structures, but this transition is uninformed and may not be in line with the country's thermal comfort and climate resilience requirements." The data on materials used to construct pucca houses exposed the seriousness of reducing coupling demand for climate change mitigation. For instance, under the affordable housing in partnership (AHP) vertical of PMAY-Urban, concrete dominates as the walling material, as per the data submitted by different states and Union territories to the PMAY central sanctioning and monitoring committee. In the sample of 128 projects studied, concrete walls using monolithic cast-in-situ technology and precast technology constitute 53% of all the projects. Under the beneficiaries-led construction vertical of the PMAY-U, RCC frame structures with red bricks form the majority, with 76% of the units using it in a sample size of 115 projects. Similarly, in 69 projects under the PMAY-Gramin, the majority of the units are load-bearing structures (55%), followed by RCC frame structures (39%) and Ekra walls (6%). The materials in these load-bearing structures were about 55% red bricks, 19% fly ash bricks, 16% sandstone and 5% each laterite blocks and fly ash brick (red brick combination). The PMAY was launched in 2015 to house every Indian in a pucca home by 2022. Till November 2021, as much as 63% of these new (11.2 million) houses are being built in urban areas. The rural counterpart of the scheme, PMAY-Gramin, has registered about 20.8 million dwelling units, all to be built by the beneficiaries. However, till last month, as per the Central government's admission, it has sanctioned 1.15 crore houses under PMAY-U (urban), which ends in March 2022. CSE's report highlighted the need to build thermally comfortable housing stock. As the PMAY is infusing new housing stock in the country, it is crucial that this stock is thermally efficient and improves the quality of life for green recovery in a post-COVID era. The India Cooling Action Plan aims at reducing cooling demand by 20-25% by the year 2037-38. The recently-held Conference of Parties (COP-26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in December 2021 in Glasgow has raised the concern of warming in cities and the need for cooling strategies. "India must not miss out on the opportunity to build thermally comfortable housing stock," the CSE report noted. According to the report, India is abundant with traditional knowledge on materials that respond to the native climate and reduce any mechanical cooling requirement. The wealth of the traditional knowledge on climate-appropriate housing is mainly passed on from one generation to the other informally. Integration of knowledge on heat resilient housing involving cool materials and passive architecture with national skulking and livelihood schemes and agencies would be pivotal for giving an impetus to green jobs and green recovery through the housing sector. There is a demand for sustainable and traditional materials and building techniques. In a public survey conducted by CSE, about 75% of the respondents said they were willing to construct their houses using traditional materials and construction techniques, even if it meant spending extra. With heatwave conditions sweeping parts of the country since early April, the report suggested adapting and building capacity on traditional knowledge of climate-appropriate material and building methods, tapping available knowledge resources on climate-appropriate and regulating the rampant movement towards modern materials. In its latest report released on April 4, the IPCC pointed out that in the period 2010-2019, average annual global greenhouse gas emissions were at their highest levels in human history, but the rate of growth has slowed. Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, limiting global warming to 1.5°C is beyond reach.

Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy

Let’s go: Recycle construction, demolition waste

Twenty-three years ago, in 1999, Navi Mumbai was one of the first Indian cities to conceptualise and implement a decentralised debris management solution. This project provided an exemplary model for future debris management. However, despite their successful demonstration to recycle 1,500 tonnes of C&D debris, NGO Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA) and the City and Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (CIDCO) initiative at the CIDCO YUVA Building Centre closed down in 2012. Cities including Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Indore, and Ahmedabad all have at least one building waste processing plant, either administered by the local authority or in a public-private partnership, according to a survey of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). In 2022, Mumbai is among 40 other cities in India that have yet to get their first operational debris recycling plant. Despite their findings 5 years ago that recycling C&D waste is crucial. The just-released IPCC report 2022 says “If global CO2 emissions continue at current rates, the remaining carbon budget for keeping warming to 1.5°C will likely be exhausted before 2030. At current (2019) rates of emissions “it would only take 8 years for a 67th percentile 1.5°C.” The process of demolition is a highly polluting one; toxic dust particles from C&D waste are a prominent source of air pollution. In recognition of this, in 2016 the C& D Rules which mandate recycling of construction debris were notified by the ministry of environment, forests and climate change of the government of India. In 2017, the BMC recommended recycling 95 per cent of the city’s C&D waste and proposed a 2.7-hectare recycling centre in Mulund to handle 1,140 tonnes per day, resulting in sand, clay, and bricks. Construction of the Centre was supposed to start in 2018. Unfortunately, this project never took off. In August 2021, Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray presided over the launch of the Mumbai Climate Action Plan. MCAP is the first such plan in India and acknowledged the severity of air pollution. 20% of Mumbai buildings are being redeveloped and Mumbai is executing several major infrastructure construction projects. In March 2022, after extensive consultations with stakeholders, the government’s MCAP concluded that construction activities in Mumbai contribute to 8% of the total emission of particulate matter and recognised construction and demolition (C&D) waste as a major component. “The next few years are critical” says the IPCC report 2022, discussing the vital necessity to limit global warming to within 1.5 degrees C and avert the worst of climate change. Air pollution is recognised by the United Nations as a leading cause of climate change. The national Swachh Bharat Mission recognised the need for C&D waste management. Air pollution is also one of the most significant health risks we currently face. Under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) Indian cities have to reduce their particulate pollution by 20-30% by 2024. Despite recognition of the contribution C&D waste to air pollution and of air pollution to accelerate climate change, construction and demolition (C&D) without systemic waste disposal is rampant all over Mumbai and surrounding cities like Thane, Navi Mumbai and others. Unsurprisingly, in 2022 Mumbai even overtook the air pollution levels of Delhi, one of the most air polluted cities in the world. Heaps of concrete, bricks and metal waste from construction choke water bodies, green areas and public spaces in Mumbai’s surrounding cities. The IPCC 2022 says that in 2019 “emissions were higher than at any point in human history before… In order to stop the temperature increase, however, net emissions must be zero.” Mumbai is a city under reconstruction. Even while a new inter-governmental panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report predicts that the world is heading towards an existential climate crisis and specifically names a building project in Mumbai as a showcase example of projects which worsen this global disaster, Mumbai’s buildings are being systematically torn down and rebuilt, without any pollution control measures. The world continues towards irreversible warming.

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

दुनिया की लगभग पूरी आबादी प्रदूषित हवा में सांस ले रही है: डब्ल्यूएचओ

विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन का कहना है कि दुनिया के 99 फीसदी लोग प्रदूषित हवा में सांस लेते हैं. इस ख़राब गुणवत्ता की हवा की वजह से हर साल लाखों लोगों की मौत हो जाती है. डब्ल्यूएचओ के आंकड़ों के मुताबिक़, पृथ्वी का लगभग हर कोना वायु प्रदूषण से जूझ रहा है, कुछ देशों में यह समस्या बदतर है. जिनेवाः संयुक्त राष्ट्र की स्वास्थ्य एजेंसी विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन (डब्ल्यूएचओ) का कहना है कि दुनिया के 99 फीसदी लोग प्रदूषित हवा में सांस लेते हैं. इस खराब गुणवत्ता की हवा की वजह से हर साल लाखों लोगों की मौत हो जाती है. इस हवा में अक्सर ऐसे कण होते हैं, जो फेफड़ों में भीतर तक जा सकते हैं, नसों और धमनियों में प्रवेश कर सकते हैं और बीमारी का कारण बन सकते हैं. एएफपी की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, डब्ल्यूएचओ के आंकड़ों के अनुसार पृथ्वी का लगभग हर कोना वायु प्रदूषण से जूझ रहा है, कुछ देशों में यह समस्या बहुत बदतर है. एजेंसी की पर्यावरण, जलवायु परिवर्तन एवं स्वास्थ्य निदेशक मारिया नीरा ने संवाददाताओं को बताया, ‘वैश्विक आबादी के लगभग 100 फीसदी लोग अभी भी उस हवा में सांस ले रहे हैं, जो विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन के मानकों के अनुरूप नहीं है. यह सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य का एक बड़ा मुद्दा है.’ डब्ल्यूएचओ ने चार साल पहले अपनी पिछली रिपोर्ट में पाया था कि वायु प्रदूषण से वैश्विक आबादी के 90 फीसदी से अधिक लोग प्रभावित थे. डब्ल्यूएचओ ने कहा, ‘वायु प्रदूषण से होने वाले नुकसान के लिए साक्ष्य आधार तेजी से बढ़ रहा है और यह कई वायु प्रदूषकों के निम्न स्तर के कारण होने वाले गंभीर नुकसान की ओर इशारा करता है. पिछले साल संयुक्त राष्ट्र के आंकड़ों में ऐसा संकेत मिला था कि लॉकडाउन और यात्रा प्रतिबंधों ने वायु गुणवत्ता में अल्पकालिक सुधार किया है लेकिन डब्ल्यूएचओ ने कहा कि वायु प्रदूषण एक बड़ी समस्या है.’ नीरा ने कहा, ‘महामारी से बचने के बाद वायु प्रदूषण की वजह से 70 लाख मौतें होना अस्वीकार्य है क्योंकि इन मौतों को रोका जा सकता था.’ डब्ल्यूएचओ का अध्ययन दुनियाभर के 6000 से अधिक शहरों और 117 देशों में स्थित अन्य केंद्रों के वायु गुणवत्ता की जानकारी उपलब्ध कराता है. इसके दायरे में दुनिया का लगभग 80 फीसदी शहरी इलाका आता है. नीरा ने कहा कि डब्ल्यूएचओ ने सैटेलाइट डाटा और गणितीय मॉडल का इस्तेमाल कर यह पता लगाया कि वायु की गुणवत्ता मदुनियाभर में लगभग हर जगह घट रही है. रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, ‘पूर्वी भूमध्यसागर व दक्षिण एशियाई क्षेत्रों समेत अफ्रीका में सबसे खराब वायु गुणवत्ता दर्ज की गई है.’ डब्ल्यूएचओ ने कहा कि यह नतीजे चिंताजनक है और जीवाश्म ईंधन पर निर्भरता को जल्द से जल्द कम करने के महत्व पर जोर दिया. डब्ल्यूएचओ के प्रमुख टेड्रोस अदनोम घेब्रेयस ने कहा कि यूक्रेन पर रूस के हमले की वजह से ऊर्जा की बढ़ती कीमतों की वजह से इस बदलाव को आगे बढ़ाने में मदद मिलनी चाहिए. डब्ल्यूएचओ ने श्वास एवं रक्त प्रवाह संबंधी समस्याएं पैदा करने वाले और हर साल लाखों लोगों की मौत के लिए जिम्मेदार प्रदूषक उत्पन्न करने वाले जीवाश्म-ईंधन के उपयोग को कम करने के लिए और कदम उठाने की अपील की. वायु गुणवत्ता पर अपने दिशानिर्देश कड़े करने के करीब छह महीने बाद डब्ल्यूएचओ ने सोमवार को वायु गुणवत्ता संबंधी अपने डेटाबेस पर यह जानकारी जारी की, जो दुनियाभर में बढ़ते शहरों, कस्बों एवं गांवों की बढ़ती संख्या से मिली सूचना पर आधारित है. इस डेटाबेस के तहत परंपरागत रूप से पार्टिकुलेट मैटर (पीएम) 2.5 और पीएम 10 को देखा जाता था, लेकिन अब पहली बार नाइट्रोजन डाइऑक्साइड के जमीनी माप को इसमें शामिल किया है. डेटाबेस का अंतिम संस्करण 2018 में जारी किया गया था. दिल्ली स्थित ‘सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट’ में वायु प्रदूषण विशेषज्ञ अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने कहा कि ये निष्कर्ष वायु प्रदूषण से निपटने के लिए आवश्यक बदलावों पर व्यापक पैमाने पर प्रकाश डालते हैं. थिंक टैंक ‘काउंसिल ऑन एनर्जी, एनवायरनमेंट एंड वॉटर’ ने एक अध्ययन में पाया कि भारत में 60 प्रतिशत से अधिक पीएम2.5 घरों और उद्योगों से पैदा होते हैं. इस थिंक टैंक के वायु गुणवत्ता कार्यक्रम की प्रमुख तनुश्री गांगुली ने उद्योगों, ऑटोमोबाइल, जैव ईंधन जलाने और घरेलू ऊर्जा से होने वाले उत्सर्जन को कम करने की दिशा में कदम उठाने का आह्वान किया.

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

WHO says 99% of world's population breathes poor-quality air

GENEVA The U.N. health agency says nearly everybody in the world breathes air that doesn’t meet its standards for air quality, calling for more action to reduce fossil-fuel use, which generates pollutants that cause respiratory and blood-flow problems and lead to millions of preventable deaths each year. The World Health Organization, about six months after tightening its guidelines on air quality, on Monday issued an update to its database on air quality that draws on information from a growing number of cities, towns and villages across the globe — now over 6,000 municipalities. WHO said 99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds its air-quality limits and is often rife with particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs, enter the veins and arteries and cause disease. Air quality is poorest in WHO's eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asia regions, followed by Africa, it said. “After surviving a pandemic, it is unacceptable to still have 7 million preventable deaths and countless preventable lost years of good health due to air pollution,” said Dr. Maria Neira, head of WHO’s department of environment, climate change and health. “Yet too many investments are still being sunk into a polluted environment rather than in clean, healthy air.” The database, which has traditionally considered two types of particulate matter known as PM2.5 and PM10, for the first time has included ground measurements of nitrogen dioxide. The last version of the database was issued in 2018. Nitrogen dioxide originates mainly from human-generated burning of fuel, such as through automobile traffic, and is most common in urban areas. Exposure can bring respiratory disease like asthma and symptoms like coughing, wheezing and difficulty in breathing, and more hospital and emergency-room admissions, WHO said. The highest concentrations were found in the eastern Mediterranean region. On Monday, the east Mediterranean island of Cyprus suffered through high concentrations of atmospheric dust for the third straight day, with some cities experiencing three and nearly four times the 50 micrograms per square meter that authorities consider normal. Officials said the microscopic particles could be especially harmful to young children, the elderly and the ill. Particulate matter has many sources, such as transportation, power plants, agriculture, the burning of waste and industry – as well as from natural sources like desert dust. The developing world is particularly hard hit: India had high levels of PM10, while China showed high levels of PM2.5, the database showed. “Particulate matter, especially PM2.5, is capable of penetrating deep into the lungs and entering the bloodstream, causing cardiovascular, cerebrovascular (stroke) and respiratory impacts,” WHO said. “There is emerging evidence that particulate matter impacts other organs and causes other diseases as well.” The findings highlight the sheer scale of the changes needed to combat air pollution, said Anumita Roychowdhury, an air pollution expert at Center for Science and Environment, a research organization in New Delhi. India and the world need to brace for major changes to try to curb air pollution, including using electric vehicles, shifting away from fossil fuels, embracing a massive scaling-up of green energy and separating out types of waste, she said. The Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a New Delhi-based think tank, found that more than 60% of India’s PM2.5 loads are from households and industries. Tanushree Ganguly, who heads the council’s program on air quality, called for action toward reducing emissions from industries, automobiles, biomass burning and domestic energy. “We need to prioritize clean energy access for households that need it the most, and take active measures to clean up our industrial sector,” she said.

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

DSÖ: Dünya Nüfusunun %99'u Kalitesiz Hava Soluyor

BM sağlık kuruluşu, dünyadaki neredeyse herkesin hava kalitesi standartlarını karşılamayan hava soluduğunu söyleyerek, solunum ve kan akışı sorunlarına neden olan kirleticiler üreten fosil yakıt kullanımını azaltmak için daha fazla eylem çağrısında bulundu. ve her yıl milyonlarca önlenebilir ölüme yol açmaktadır. Dünya Sağlık Örgütü, hava kalitesiyle ilgili yönergelerini sıkılaştırdıktan yaklaşık altı ay sonra, Pazartesi günü hava kalitesi veri tabanına, dünya genelinde artan sayıda şehir, kasaba ve köyden - şu anda 6.000'den fazla belediyeden - alınan bilgilerden yararlanan bir güncelleme yayınladı. DSÖ, küresel nüfusun %99'unun hava kalitesi sınırlarını aşan hava soluduğunu ve genellikle akciğerlerin derinliklerine nüfuz edebilen, damarlara ve atardamarlara girebilen ve hastalığa neden olabilen partiküllerle dolu olduğunu söyledi. DSÖ'nün doğu Akdeniz ve Güneydoğu Asya bölgelerinde hava kalitesinin en düşük olduğu ve bunu Afrika'nın izlediği belirtildi. DSÖ'nün çevre, iklim değişikliği ve sağlık departmanı başkanı Dr. Maria Neira, "Bir pandemiden sağ çıktıktan sonra, hava kirliliği nedeniyle hala 7 milyon önlenebilir ölüm ve sayısız önlenebilir sağlık kaybının olması kabul edilemez" dedi. “Yine de temiz ve sağlıklı hava yerine kirli bir çevreye çok fazla yatırım yapılıyor.” Geleneksel olarak PM2.5 ve PM10 olarak bilinen iki tür partikül maddeyi dikkate alan veri tabanı, ilk kez nitrojen dioksitin zemin ölçümlerini içeriyor. Veritabanının son sürümü 2018'de yayınlandı. Azot dioksit esas olarak otomobil trafiği gibi insan kaynaklı yakıt yanmasından kaynaklanır ve en çok kentsel alanlarda yaygındır. WHO, maruz kalmanın astım gibi solunum yolu hastalıkları ve öksürük, hırıltılı solunum ve nefes almada zorluk gibi semptomları ve daha fazla hastane ve acil servis başvurularını beraberinde getirebileceğini söyledi. En yüksek konsantrasyonlar Doğu Akdeniz bölgesinde bulundu. Pazartesi günü, Doğu Akdeniz adası Kıbrıs, üst üste üçüncü gün boyunca yüksek konsantrasyonlarda atmosferik tozdan zarar gördü ve bazı şehirlerde, yetkililerin normal kabul ettiği metrekare başına 50 mikrogramın üç ve yaklaşık dört katını yaşadı. Yetkililer, mikroskobik parçacıkların özellikle küçük çocuklar, yaşlılar ve hastalar için zararlı olabileceğini söyledi. Partikül maddenin ulaşım, enerji santralleri, tarım, atıkların yakılması ve sanayi gibi birçok kaynağı olduğu gibi çöl tozu gibi doğal kaynaklardan da vardır. Gelişmekte olan dünya özellikle sert darbe aldı: Veritabanı, Hindistan'ın yüksek PM10 seviyelerine sahip olduğunu, Çin'in ise yüksek PM2.5 seviyeleri gösterdiğini gösterdi. WHO, "Partikül madde, özellikle PM2.5, akciğerlerin derinliklerine nüfuz etme ve kan dolaşımına girme, kardiyovasküler, serebrovasküler (inme) ve solunumsal etkilere neden olma yeteneğine sahiptir." Dedi. Partikül maddenin diğer organları etkilediğine ve başka hastalıklara da yol açtığına dair ortaya çıkan kanıtlar var.” Yeni Delhi'deki bir araştırma kuruluşu olan Bilim ve Çevre Merkezi'nde hava kirliliği uzmanı olan Anumita Roychowdhury, bulguların hava kirliliğiyle mücadele için gereken değişikliklerin büyük ölçeğini vurguladığını söyledi. Hindistan ve dünyanın, elektrikli araçlar kullanmak, fosil yakıtlardan uzaklaşmak, yeşil enerjiyi büyük ölçüde büyütmek ve atık türlerini ayırmak da dahil olmak üzere hava kirliliğini engellemeye çalışmak için büyük değişikliklere hazır olması gerektiğini söyledi. Yeni Delhi merkezli bir düşünce kuruluşu olan Enerji, Çevre ve Su Konseyi, Hindistan'ın PM2.5 yüklerinin %60'ından fazlasının evlerden ve endüstrilerden geldiğini tespit etti. Konseyin hava kalitesi programına başkanlık eden Tanushree Ganguly, endüstrilerden, otomobillerden, biyokütle yakma ve evsel enerjiden kaynaklanan emisyonların azaltılmasına yönelik eylem çağrısında bulundu. En çok ihtiyacı olan haneler için temiz enerji erişimine öncelik vermemiz ve sanayi sektörümüzü temizlemek için aktif önlemler almamız gerekiyor” dedi.

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Form joint plan to tackle air pollution in Delhi-NCR: Gopal Rai urges to Centre

Citing a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said 69% of the air pollution in the national capital comes from outside and the rest 31% is from local sources The Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi on Tuesday urged the Centre to immediately call a meeting of environment ministers of NCR states and experts to form a joint plan to fight air pollution amid a WHO report blaming poor air quality for millions of deaths each year across the globe. Gopal Rai, Delhi environment minister, today wrote a letter to Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav, requesting him to immediately call the meeting to fight against the air pollution in the national capital.

Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Rai concerned about rising pollution, writes to Environment minister

In his letter, Rai stated that due to the steps taken by the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the number of good air quality days has increased and poor air quality days have gone down in the last four years, but as per Centre for Science and Environment’s report, 31 percent of air pollution comes from outside Delhi. In view of increasing pollution levels, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has shot off a letter to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav to convene a joint meeting of environment ministers of NCR. In his letter, Rai stated that due to the steps taken by the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the number of good air quality days has increased and poor air quality days have gone down in the last four years, but as per Centre for Science and Environment’s report, 31 percent of air pollution comes from outside Delhi. Besides, the environment minister also mentioned that he had urged earlier on November 7, November 11 and December 3 to call a meeting of NCR states regarding the same. “I therefore, again request you to convene a meeting of environment ministers of NCR states and experts to form a joint plan to reduce air pollution,” stated the Delhi environment minister in his letter. He added that all the states of NCR states will have to work together to reduce air pollution in Delhi.