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

Air quality is poorest in Eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asia regions The UN 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 Organisation, 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 totaling over 6,000 municipalities. WHO said 99 per cent 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. 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 Centre for Science and Environment, a research and advocacy organisation in New Delhi. India and the world need to brace for major changes to try to curb air pollution: electric vehicles; a shift away from fossil fuels; a massive scaling-up of green energy; and households separating their types of waste, she said. The Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a New Delhi-based think tank, found in a study 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.

Delhi govt revisits solar power plan as previous targets fall behind

Discoms said there is enough awareness about solar rooftops but blamed Covid-19 for the slowdown in installations Despite substantial subsidies and other incentives by the Delhi government, solar power installations at homes have failed to generate much interest among home owners, with the city only managing to add 220 mega watts (MW) of power through this medium, less than 1/10th the target of generating 2,762MW by the end of this year. The solar power generated through rooftop installations stood at 184MW last February. With the heat arriving early this year, discoms expect Delhi’s peak power demand to cross 8,000MW for the very first time this summer, putting a substantial load on the city’s existing power infrastructure. Discoms said there is enough awareness about solar rooftops but blamed Covid-19 for the slowdown in installations. “The pandemic has had an impact on rooftop installations in Delhi. Over the past two years, many group housing societies were reluctant to let solar vendors enter their societies or areas. With infections receding, interest is picking up again,” said a discom official who asked not to be named. Experts, however, attributed the lack of interest among the public to the lengthy installation and commissioning process for solar rooftops. “Obtaining an NOC (no-objection certificate) from the discom and then filing an online application and ensuing paperwork has been found to be labour-intensive and time consuming. Delhi, which is urbanised and high income, was only able to install around 20% of the subsidised solar rooftop panels allocated to it, so its clear that even subsidy benefits are not being utilised. People are still finding the upfront cost of installation to be a hurdle,” said Binit Das, deputy programme manager, renewable energy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). In addition to reduced bills and refunds for surplus electricity generated, the Delhi government also offers discounts up to 20% for installing solar panels on rooftops of residences and commercial spaces. According to discoms, Delhi is already offering a better rate for surplus solar power — most states across the country have capped it at ₹2 per unit, even as Delhi offers an average power procurement cost for surplus energy at ₹5 per unit. The 2,762MW solar power target by 2022 was set under the National Solar Mission in June 2015. With the policy failing to attract enough consumers, a number of fresh incentives and changes are now expected in a new solar policy being devised by the Delhi government, which was announced by Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia during his Budget speech last month. Under it, the Delhi government has set a goal of creating 2,500MW of solar capacity in the next five years. “This is expected to contribute to 10% of Delhi’s annual energy demand,” Sisodia said during his Budget speech last month, adding that 40,000 new jobs are also expected to be created through the solar policy for construction workers, electricians, technicians, and engineers. A government official said the new solar policy aims to add more solar panels over Delhi roofs while creating more jobs. “Lessons from the last few years will be incorporated in the new solar policy. Delhi has been giving a strong push towards electric vehicles and renewable energy over the last couple of years,” said a government official, asking not to be named. Officials from BSES, which covers areas like Saket, Vasant Kunj, Dwarka, Chattarpur, Sainik Farms, Karkardooma, Mayur Vihar, Patparganj and Rohini, among others, said the discom has so far seen over 4,000 solar rooftop installations under it, with a combined load of more than 125MW. “Our Solar City initiative has been well-received... The initiative is a win-win for consumers and the discom. The solar outreach programme is also educating consumers about the benefits of solar energy while ensuring strict quality compliance of the systems being installed. It also facilitates various finance options for consumers,” a BSES official said. Among the initial success stories of the solar outreach was in Dwarka where the discoms began installation from 2018 onwards as part of a “Solarise Dwarka” scheme. KR Anand, a resident of Shiv Bhole CGHS in Dwarka Sector 7, said the society has a solar capacity of over 100KW, which results in savings of over 100,000 units across 60 households every year. “In summers, the savings are substantial. Nearby societies began installing solar panels soon after seeing a significant reduction in our bills,” he said. In Sector 6 nearby, the Kalka CGHS society similarly saw reduced electricity bills over the last three years. With a combined installed capacity of over 50KW, residents say they are producing excess electricity each year, which results in discoms paying money to the society at the end of the year. “For each excess unit produced, we receive ₹5... So not only are the electricity bills less, but excess production provides additional benefits at the end of each financial year,” said SS Rawat, a resident of the society. Each kilowatt (KW) of solar rooftops can generate around 100–120 units of electricity each month, with experts saying that the cost of installation is generally recovered within 3.5 to 4 years. Solar panels required to generate a KW of power will cost around ₹60,000- ₹1 lakh. "Solar rooftop is gaining popularity in Delhi, especially in the domestic (residential) segment. This surge can be attributed to the subsidy scheme. However, subsidies alone are not enough since there is a major space constraint in residential areas with respect to the roof size due to which the adoption is a little slower than expected," said Dwijadas Basak, Chief-Commercial, Consumer Experience & Social Impact Group at Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited, stating areas such as Rohini, Pitampura and Moti Nagar were slowly seeing more demand for solar installation. Several hurdles Neeraj Kuldeep, programme lead, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), said meeting the ambitious solar power targets set by states will require a strong strategic push. “To strengthen the uptake of rooftop solar systems, the Delhi government must reconsider the electricity subsidy offered to the residential sector. Secondly, the authorities should promote innovative business models, such as the Solar Partners model, which utilises excess spaces on the roof for solar power systems, and offers clean electricity to consumers under virtual net-metering regulations,” said Kuldeep. He added that a green tariff – a utility-approved electricity rate that allows consumers to source 100% of their electricity from renewable sources -- could also provide a much-needed impetus to rooftop solar installations. “Finally, the government could also explore other emerging opportunities, such as floating solar panels along with the rejuvenation of lakes,” he said.

Smoke, stench and filth: Life around a landfill

Experts say a zero landfill policy based on 100 percent waste segregation, minimum dumping of fresh waste, and urgent remediation of legacy waste can tame the mountain of waste in Ghazipur, near Delhi. From a distance, anyone new to Delhi would take the Ghazipur landfill in east Delhi for a small hillock. Only a local resident would know it is a mountain of stinking garbage that was recently in the news for a raging fire that choked its surrounding neighbourhoods. For people living in its vicinity, the landfill, located near Delhi’s border with Ghaziabad, UP, is like a fish bone stuck in your throat that you can neither swallow nor spit out. That’s how Imran Ahmed, a resident of Mulla Colony, an unauthorised settlement abutting the toxic dump, describes it. Others refer it to as a long nightmare that never seems to end. “Apart from the unbearable stench, we do not know what the foul air is causing inside our body. We have compromised as we can’t afford to shift,” Ahmed said. Mulla Colony is one of the many small colonies sharing their boundaries with the 70-acre landfill site. The others are Ghazipur Dairy Farm, Sapera Basti, Rajveer Colony, Kondli-Gharoli, as well as numerous slums, which are directly exposed to the landfill’s toxicity. Many of the residents work as labourers, rickshaw-pullers, scrap dealers, roadside vendors, factory workers and small traders, among other things. The swanky 14-lane Delhi-Meerut expressway runs right next to the landfill’s entrance. The Ghazipur fish and poultry markets and a metro depot are located on both sides of the dumpsite. Parts of middle and upper-middle-class residential neighbourhoods such as IP Extension, Mayur Vihar Phase 2 and 3 in Delhi, and Kaushambi, Vaishali and Indirapuram in Ghaziabad are within a 4-5 km airshed of the landfill. On a bad day, even these areas, which house multi-speciality hospitals, star-rated hotels, malls and plush high-rises, cannot escape the landfill’s stench. Residents of the settlements facing the landfill described how the area was a barren, low-lying land before it became a dumping ground. Ahmed, a septuagenarian, has been living in the locality for more than four decades, even before the landfill came up. “I have seen the dumpyard grow with time,” he says. Other old-timers recall that when they settled in the area, the nearby high-rise localities in IP Extension and Ghaziabad had not come up. There were wide fields filled with grass on both sides of the border. “The authorities started dumping waste here, maybe because these are Delhi’s outskirts, but we were very few in number to oppose,” says Ahmed. Yadav Singh, a resident of Ghazipur Dairy Farm, one of the oldest settlements in the area, has grown up with the landfill, which was commissioned in 1984, long before waste management rules were formed. Houses in the last row of the neighborhood are directly open to the garbage dump. His house is one of them. “I was born in 1980. The landfill came up later. The smell gets unbearable when it rains. Our eyes burn. We keep our windows shut and cover our faces,” he says. Those who could afford to have left the area for better localities,says Singh. Others like him are left with no choice but to make peace with the foul air. At Rajveer Colony, a group of elderly people were huddled together on charpoys (woven cots), smoking hookahs. They were initially reluctant to talk when this writer approached them. One of them even got a little aggressive. “Why should we talk? What will we get? People come, take photos and disappear till another incident happens. The authorities turn a blind eye to our plight,” the person, who refused to be named, said. Complaints galore Residents point to the heaps of construction debris dumped on a road facing the dump yard and the sewage flowing onto a broken street in the colony. Another local recalled how the entire government machinery had gathered when a section of the garbage mountain collapsed and killed two people on this very road. But everything was forgotten soon after. In September 2017, after days of non-stop rain, mounds of loose garbage came hurtling down from the then 50-metre dump, sweeping cars and motorbikes into a canal that runs parallel to the road. Two people died and nearly half a dozen were injured in the incident, which grabbed headlines, prompting the authorities to temporarily ban the dumping of garbage and prohibit the entry of ragpickers at the landfill. But in the absence of alternatives, dumping continued at the site, which went on to reach a height of 65 metres in 2019, just eight metres short of the Qutab Minar. The maximum permissible height is only 20 metres. Though steps such as bio-mining were taken after court orders to flatten the landfill, which reached its saturation limit in 2002, hundreds of tonnes of waste are being dumped daily, putting paid to efforts to reduce the height. Bio-mining is a mechanical process to sieve and separate heavy components such as soil and stones from lighter ones such as plastic and paper. Harshad Kumar, who runs a cycle repair shop at the edge of the dump, says it is all about livelihood for people with meagre sources of income. “I have been living here for 15 years. Who would like to live amid the stench and smoke? But I have a family to fend for,” sas Kumar, pointing out how hundreds live and work around the landfill just to make ends meet. Prashad, a ragpicker who picks up metallic and recyclable stuff from the landfill, which he sells to scrap dealers, echoes Kumar. The low rents in the colonies are a big draw for people like him who cannot afford to pay much. “I bribe the guards at the landfill to gain entry. My skin itches but I have to go. Whatever I earn is barely enough,” Prashad said. At the fish and poultry wholesale markets, the traders laugh off the problems with sarcasm, saying the stench from the markets is so strong that the smell from the dump makes them feel lighter. “People have started wearing masks after Covid. We always had our faces covered,” quipped Abdul Zabbar, a fish trader. For municipal employees, contractual workers and drivers at the dumpyard, the odour and pollution are workplace hazards that have to be borne. “Someone has to do it. If the department has posted me here, I can’t say no. It is hard to breathe out here, but you get used to it over time,” says a municipal employee at the landfill site office, brushing away the dust on his hair and shirt. As the temperature rises, fires are common at the landfill, which produces inflammable and self-combustible gases such as methane. The presence of plastic and paper is like a tinderbox. Minor fires go unreported and unnoticed, but the recent blaze was big enough for everyone to sit up and take note. When the landfill caught fire on March 28, the reason for which was not known, the smoke spread as far as 4-5 km, depending on the wind direction. “I could feel the smoke sitting in my balcony. When it rains, we cannot open the windows. The stench comes inside when the wind blows this way,” says Suneel Jha, a resident of Kaushambi’s Seemant Vihar, 2 km away. Jha says people have park-facing and hill-facing houses, but here “we have garbage-facing apartments”. Health and environmental hazard In the absence of proper segregation at the collection level, all kinds of garbage is dumped, including domestic waste, plastic, glass, construction and demolition debris, refuse from the poultry and fish markets, dairy farm waste, etc. The deadly cocktail of gases, smoke, dust and leachate not only affects the health of people living in its vicinity but has a severe bearing on the air and groundwater. Anand Vihar, one of Delhi’s most polluted hotspots, is about a km from the landfill. Studies conducted across the world, including by the UNEP and WHO, point to the health hazards such open landfills pose to people working at these places and to nearby residents. A WHO report titled ‘Waste and human health: Evidence and needs’ says improper waste management and illegal waste shipments can result in soil, water and air pollution. Living in the vicinity of a dumpyard can be a health risk for residents because they may be exposed to pollutants through different pathways: the inhalation of substances emitted by the site, contact with water or polluted soil, directly or through the consumption of products, or through contaminated water, the study says. In fact, most locals this writer spoke to complained of watery eyes, skin irritation and breathing issues. According to Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, monitoring stations near the landfill showed worsening air pollution with both particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide levels increasing. “This, combined with emissions of other toxic gases from fires, increases the toxic exposure of local communities significantly,” she says. Waste mismanagement The basic formula of a landfill is to dump, process and dispose, and not to dump and forget, which has been happening for years, explains Jagdish Mamgain, who was chairman of the unified municipal corporation of Delhi. Delhi generates about 12,000 tonnes of waste every day, of which more than half is sent to the landfills at Ghazipur, Okhla in south Delhi, and Bhalswa and Narela-Bawana in outer Delhi. \Ghazipur alone has accumulated about 140 million tonnes of waste, according to the East Delhi Municipal Corporation’s own admission. Efforts to set up an alternative site at Rani Khera in northwest Delhi and a waste management facility at Ghonda Gujran in the northeast have met with opposition and legal troubles. Mamgain said plans for localised dump yards and waste processing plants had to be abandoned due to resistance from locals, when he was in the MCD. Segregation and recycling of waste is only on paper and not in practice, he says, adding that this is the root of the problem. The idea is to send minimum waste to landfills, Mamgain says, noting that if proper segregation happens at the collection level, construction and demolition debris can be used to make roads, wet waste can be turned into compost and other stuff can be sold with the help of waste-pickers. “There are many alternatives. But if you mix them, everything ends up at the landfills,” Mamgain says. RoyChowdhury says only a zero landfill policy based on 100 percent waste segregation, minimum dumping of fresh waste, and urgent remediation of legacy waste can address this problem. Every municipality, she says, has to invest to create infrastructure and systems for this scale of action. “I don’t know if I shall live long enough to see this gone, but our kids should breathe better air,” says Ahmed with a sigh.

नदियों, झीलों और भरपूर बारिश के बावजूद आखिर क्यों है देश में पानी की समस्या, जानें उपाय

नई दिल्ली [सुनीता नारायण]। आज की हमारी बातचीत के बाद आपको महसूस होगा कि आपकी उम्र हो चली है क्यूंकि हम पहले भी आज के मुद्दे पर बात कर चुके हैं। जब मैं अपने शहरों और गांवों में पानी की कमी की समस्या के समाधान के रूप में वर्षा जल संचयन की उपयोगिता के बारे में चल रही बहस को सुनती हूं तो मुझे वैसा ही लगता है। छतों और पहाड़ी कैचमेंट से बारिश के संचयन और इसे भूमिगत जलाशयों, एक्वीफर, झीलों और तालाबों में रखने के महत्व से हम सालों से वाकिफ हैं। फिर हमने इस तकनीक को क्यों नहीं अपनाया? हम इस ज्ञान का उपयोग करने में क्यों असफल रहे हैं? यह सवाल हमें स्वयं से पूछना चाहिए। जमीन पर दिखी अलग सी चीज मैं आपको बताती हूं कि मैंने वर्षा जल संचयन के बारे में कैसे सीखा। यह 1990 के दशक की बात है, जब सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड इनवायरनमेंट के तत्कालीन निदेशक अनिल अग्रवाल अपनी नई नवेली, लाल रंग की मारुति-800 चलाया करते थे। हम बीकानेर में चारागाह भूमि का उत्थान देखने जा रहे थे। अचानक हमें जमीन पर कुछ अलग सा दिखा। अनिल ने कार रोक दी। वह जानना चाहते थे कि आखिर उनके सामने वह चीज क्या थी। पानी की व्यवस्था कुंडी देख कर जताई हैरानी यह एक उड़न तश्तरी या पक्की जमीन पर रखे एक उलटे प्याले के आकार में था। हम गाड़ी से उतरे, बस्ती के पास गए और पूछा, “यह क्या है?” जैसा कि भारत में अक्सर होता है, शहर के लोगों के ऐसे बेवकूफी भरे सवालों का बहुत धैर्य से जवाब मिलता है। “यह हमारी पानी की व्यवस्था है, हमारी कुंडी है।” हमारी समझ में कुछ नहीं आया। उन्होंने समझाया। “देखिए, हम जमीन को चूने से ढक देते हैं और उसे ऐसी ढाल देते हैं कि पानी बहकर बीच में जमा हो। फिर जब भी बारिश होती है, चाहे कितनी ही कम क्यों न हो, सारा पानी संचित होकर कुएं में चला जाता है। कुएं को प्रदूषण से बचाने के लिए उसे ढककर रखा जाता है।” इस छोटी सी जानकारी ने बदली जिंदगी इस छोटी सी जानकारी ने सही मायनों में हमारी जिंदगी बदल दी। अनिल की गणना के मुताबिक उस संरचना में बहुत संभावना थी। महज 100 मिलीमीटर (मिमी) बारिश में - जितनी औसतन एक रेगिस्तान में होती है, एक हेक्टेयर भूमि से दस लाख लीटर पानी संचित किया जा सकता है। यह कोई छोटी मात्रा नहीं है। 5 सदस्यों के एक परिवार को पीने और खाना पकाने के लिए एक दिन में 10-15 लीटर से अधिक पानी की आवश्यकता नहीं होगी। यह एक वर्ष में 4,000-5,000 लीटर तक आता है। इसका मतलब है कि एक हेक्टेयर में 200-300 परिवारों की जरूरतों को पूरा करने के लिए पर्याप्त पानी इकठ्ठा किया जा सकता है। बाद में, कुछ और अनुभवों ने वर्षा जल संचयन की क्षमता को लेकर मेरी समझ को आकार दिया और हमारे जीवन के अन्य पहलुओं से इसके संबंध को दर्शाया। ज्यादा बारिश के बावजूद लिखा था संदेश पानी है कीमती हम चेरापूंजी में थे, जहां पूरे विश्व में सबसे अधिक बारिश होती है। कम से कम स्कूल में तो मैंने यही पढ़ा था। वहां एक छोटे से सरकारी गेस्टहाउस में मैंने एक बड़ा संदेश लिखा देखा-पानी कीमती है, कृपया इसे सावधानी से इस्तेमाल करें। आश्चर्यजनक! एक ऐसी जगह जहां 14,000 मिमी (एक ऊंची छतवाले स्टेडियम को भरने के लिए पर्याप्त) बारिश होती है, वहां भी पानी की कमी है! अनिल और मैं कुछ समय पहले ही जैसलमेर से लौटे थे। एक ऐसा शहर जिसने केवल 50-100 मिमी बारिश के बावजूद एक समृद्ध सभ्यता और पीले बलुआ पत्थरों का एक शानदार किला बनाया था। हमें जो जवाब मिला वह शहर के निर्माण के तरीके में छुपा था। चाहे छत हो या तालाब, हर जगह वर्षा जल संचयन की मुकम्मल व्यवस्था थी, जिससे एक जल-सुरक्षित भविष्य का निर्माण संभव हुआ। बूंद-बूंद का मोल सिखाने में जुटे अनिल इस सीख से इतने प्रभावित हुए कि उन्होंने अपने जीवन के अगले कुछ वर्ष भारतीयों को वर्षा की बूंद-बूंद का मोल सिखाने में लगा दिए। देश के हर क्षेत्र में वर्षा के संचयन, भंडारण और फिर उसका उपयोग करने का अपना अनूठा तरीका था। प्रत्येक प्रणाली प्रदेश विशेष की पारिस्थितिक ज़रूरतों के हिसाब से विकसित की गई थी। इसके बावजूद हर प्रणाली एक इंजीनियरिंग चमत्कार थी जो उस प्रदेश की वर्षा जल संचयन के हिसाब से बनी थी। फिर आखिर यह तकनीक लुप्त क्यों हो गई? सर्वप्रथम सरकार पानी की प्रदाता एवं आपूर्तिकर्ता बन गई। यह नियंत्रण पहले समुदायों या घरों के पास होता था। इसका मतलब यह था कि वर्षा जल संचयन अब प्राथमिकता नहीं रही। दूसरा, स्थानीय भूजल, जो वर्षा जल के माध्यम से रिचार्ज होता था, का इस्तेमाल बंद करके सतह के जल को प्राथमिकता दी गई। यह जल भी अक्सर दूर से नहरों के माध्यम से लाया जाता। यही कारण है कि वर्षा जल संचयन एक ऐसा विचार बनकर रह गया है जिसका समय अभी नहीं आया है। वर्षा का जल संचन सरकार के द्वारा संभव नहीं वर्षा जल का संचय सरकार द्वारा संभव नहीं है, इसमें आम जनता की भागीदारी भी आवश्यक है। इसे हर घर, काॅलोनी, गांव एवं कैचमेंट में किए जाने की आवश्यकता है। ऐसा करने का प्रोत्साहन तभी मिलता है, जब हम अपनी जरूरतों के लिए भूजल पर निर्भर होते हैं। यदि शहरों और यहां तक कि गांवों में भी पाइप से पानी मिलता है तो आखिर कौन बारिश के जल का संचयन करेगा और क्यों? कैचमेंट अतिक्रमण का शिकार दूसरी समस्या यह है कि हम भूजल संचयन की कला और उसके पीछे के विज्ञान को पूरी तरह से समझ पाने में असफल साबित हुए हैं। इसलिए कैचमेंट (वह जमीन जहां बारिश का पानी गिरता) या तो अतिक्रमण का शिकार हैं या फिर भूमि-सुधार के नाम पर वितरित कर दिए जाते हैं। भूमिगत भंडारण के लिए बारिश को चैनलाइज करने वाले नाले या तो नष्ट हो चुके हैं या उन पर नया निर्माण किया जा चुका है। ऐसी हालत में वर्षा जल संचयन कैसे संभव होगा यह? हम नहीं कर सकते और हम नहीं करेंगे। यही कारण है कि सूखे और बाढ़ का चक्र जारी रहेगा और समस्या और भी भयावह हो जाएगी। तो आइए हम उस ज्ञान से सीखें, जिसकी हम अब तक अनदेखी करते आए हैं।

United Nations’ health agency WHO says 99% of world’s population breathes poor-quality air

“Air quality is poorest in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asia regions, followed by Africa,” it said 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 use of fossil-fuel, which generates pollutants that cause respiratory- and blood-flow problems and lead to millions of preventable deaths each year. The World Health Organization (WHO), about six months after tightening its guidelines on air quality, on April 4 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 totalling 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 seven 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 such as asthma and symptoms such as 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. Particulate matter has many sources, such as transportation, power plants, agriculture, the burning of waste and industry – as well as from natural sources such as 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 and advocacy organisation in New Delhi. India and the world need to brace for major changes to try to curb air pollution: electric vehicles; a shift away from fossil fuels; a massive scaling-up of green energy; and households separating their types of waste, she said. The Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a New Delhi-based think tank, found in a study that more than 60% of India’s PM2.5 loads are from households and industries. Tanushree Ganguly, who heads the council’s programme on air quality, called for action toward reducing emissions from industries, automobiles, biomass burning and domestic energy. “We need to prioritise clean energy access for households that need it the most and take active measures to clean up our industrial sector,” she said.

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

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 totaling 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. 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. Breaking News Alerts Breaking News Alerts As it happens Be informed of breaking news as it happens and notified about other don't-miss content with our free news alerts. “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 and advocacy 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 types of waste, she said. The Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a New Delhi-based think tank, found in a study 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. Aniruddha Ghosal in New Delhi contributed to this report.

OMS alerta que cerca de 99% da população mundial respira ar poluído

A maior parte da população mundial, cerca de 99%, respira ar que excede os limites de qualidade, ou seja, poluído e repleto de partículas que podem penetrar nos pulmões, entrar nas veias e artérias, e resultar em uma série de doenças. A partir de um estudo da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) sobre o ar que respiramos, foi cincluído que seriam necessárias mais ações para melhorar o cenário, principalmente as que visem a reduzir a utilização de combustíveis fósseis. A estimativa reforçou os números que já foram alertados em pesquisas anteriores. O estudo descreveu que a qualidade do ar está mais comprometida em regiões como leste do Mediterrâneo e do Sudeste Asiático. “Depois de sobreviver a uma pandemia, é inaceitável ainda ter 7 milhões de mortes evitáveis e inúmeros anos perdidos de boa saúde devido à poluição do ar. Ainda assim, muitos investimentos ainda estão sendo perdidos em um ambiente poluído, e não em um ar limpo e saudável”, explicou Maria Neira, chefe do departamento de meio ambiente, mudanças climáticas e saúde da OMS. O banco de dados considera dois tipos de partículas (conhecidas como PM2,5 e PM10) e pela primeira vez incluiu medições de dióxido de nitrogênio no solo. A substância em questão se origina da queima de combustível e a exposição a essa composição pode causar doenças respiratórias, segundo a OMS. Publicidade “O material particulado, especialmente o PM2,5, é capaz de penetrar profundamente nos pulmões e entrar na corrente sanguínea, causando impactos cardiovasculares, cerebrovasculares (derrame) e respiratórios. Há evidências emergentes de que o material particulado afeta outros órgãos e também causa outras doenças”, informou o estudo. O material particulado tem muitas fontes, como: meios de transporte, usinas de energia, agricultura, queima de resíduos e indústria, além de fontes naturais. Os países em desenvolvimento são atingidos pelos efeitos deste fenômeno, por mais que as maiores concentrações foram encontradas na região leste do Mediterrâneo. De acordo com Anumita Roychowdhury, especialista em poluição do ar do Centro de Ciência e Meio Ambiente (organização de pesquisa de Nova Délhi), os países precisam se preparar para tentar reduzir a poluição do ar, incluindo o uso de veículos elétricos, abandono dos combustíveis fósseis, adoção de uma escala maciça de energia verde e a separação de resíduos.

WHO: 99 Persen Populasi Global Hirup Udara tak Berkualitas

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JENEWA -- Organisasi Kesehatan Dunia (WHO) mengungkapkan, 99 persen populasi dunia masih menghirup udara tak memenuhi standar kualitas udara. WHO menyerukan negara-negara untuk mengambil lebih banyak tindakan dalam mengurangi penggunaan bahan bakar fosil. WHO, pada Senin (4/4/2022), merilis pembaruan ke basis datanya tentang kualitas udara. Pembaruan tersebut mengambil informasi dari kota, kota kecil, dan desa di seluruh dunia, Sekarang jumlahnya lebih dari 6.000 kotamadya. Di pembaruan tersebut, WHO mengatakan, 99 persen populasi global menghirup udara yang tak memenuhi standar kualitas. Dilabeli tak berkualitas karena seringkali penuh dengan partikel yang dapat menembus jauh ke dalam paru-paru, memasuki pembuluh darah dan arteri, serta memicu penyakit. Menurut WHO, wilayah dengan kualitas udara terendah adalah Mediterania Timur dan Asia Tenggara, kemudian diikuti Afrika. “Setelah selamat dari pandemi, tidak dapat diterima jika masih ada 7 juta kematian yang dapat dicegah dan tahun-tahun kesehatan yang hilang yang tak terhitung jumlahnya yang dapat dicegah karena polusi udara. Namun terlalu banyak investasi yang masih tenggelam ke dalam lingkungan yang tercemar daripada di udara yang bersih dan sehat,” kata kepala departemen lingkungan, perubahan iklim, dan kesehatan WHO Dr. Maria Neira. Basis data tentang kualitas udara WHO secara tradisional mempertimbangkan dua jenis partikel yang dikenal sebagai PM2.5 dan PM10. Namun untuk pertama kalinya WHO turut memasukkan pengukuran nitrogen dioksida. Nitrogen dioksida terutama berasal dari pembakaran bahan bakar yang dihasilkan manusia, seperti lalu lintas kendaraan. photo Seorang wanita mengenakan masker untuk melindungi diri dari COVID-19 berjalan di depan gedung perkantoran di Kawasan Pusat Bisnis yang diselimuti kabut polusi di Beijing, Kamis, 18 November 2021. - (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Paparan zat tersebut dapat memicu asma dan gejala seperti batuk, mengi, dan kesulitan bernapas. Konsentrasi tertinggi nitrogen dioksida ditemukan di wilayah Mediterania timur. Sementara materi partikulat memiliki banyak sumber, seperti transportasi, pembangkit listrik, pertanian, pembakaran limbah dan industri, serta dari sumber alami seperti debu gurun. India menjadi negara yang memiliki tingkat PM10 tertinggi. Sementara peredaran PM2.5 tertinggi berada di China. “Materi partikulat, terutama PM2.5, mampu menembus jauh ke dalam paru-paru dan memasuki aliran darah, menyebabkan dampak kardiovaskular, serebrovaskular (strok) dan pernapasan. Ada bukti yang muncul bahwa partikel berdampak pada organ lain dan menyebabkan penyakit lain juga,” kata WHO. Pakar polusi udara dari Center for Science and Environment yang berbasis di New Delhi, India, Anumita Roychowdhury mengungkapkan, temuan WHO menyoroti skala perubahan yang diperlukan untuk memerangi polusi udara. “India dan dunia perlu bersiap menghadapi perubahan besar untuk mencoba mengekang polusi udara: kendaraan listrik; pergeseran dari bahan bakar fosil; peningkatan energi hijau secara besar-besaran; dan rumah tangga yang memisahkan jenis sampahnya,” ucapnya. Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), sebuah lembaga riset yang berbasis di New Delhi, menemukan dalam sebuah penelitian bahwa lebih dari 60 persen beban PM2.5 India berasal dari rumah tangga dan industri. Kepala program kualitas udara di CEEW Tanushree Ganguly menyerukan tindakan untuk mengurangi emisi dari industri, mobil, pembakaran biomassa, dan energi domestik. “Kita perlu memprioritaskan akses energi bersih untuk rumah tangga yang paling membutuhkan, dan mengambil langkah aktif untuk membersihkan sektor industri kita,” katanya.

OMS: 99 % de la population respire un air de mauvaise qualité

GENÈVE, Suisse — L’agence de santé des Nations unies affirme que presque tout le monde sur la planète respire un air qui ne respecte pas ses normes de qualité de l’air, appelant à davantage d’actions pour réduire l’utilisation des combustibles fossiles, qui génèrent des polluants qui causent des problèmes respiratoires et de circulation sanguine et entraînent des millions de décès évitables chaque année. L’Organisation mondiale de la santé, environ six mois après avoir resserré ses directives sur la qualité de l’air, a publié lundi une mise à jour de sa base de données sur la qualité de l’air qui s’appuie sur les informations d’un nombre croissant de villes et de villages à travers le monde ― totalisant désormais plus de 6000 municipalités. L’OMS a déclaré que 99 % de la population mondiale respire un air qui dépasse ses limites de qualité de l’air et est souvent rempli de particules qui peuvent pénétrer profondément dans les poumons, pénétrer dans les veines et les artères et provoquer des maladies. La qualité de l’air est la plus mauvaise dans les régions de l’OMS de la Méditerranée orientale et de l’Asie du Sud-Est, suivies de l’Afrique, a indiqué l’organisation. «Après avoir survécu à une pandémie, il est inacceptable d’avoir encore 7 millions de décès évitables et d’innombrables années de bonne santé perdues évitables en raison de la pollution de l’air», a déclaré la Dre Maria Neira, cheffe du département de l’environnement, du changement climatique et de la santé de l’OMS. «Pourtant, trop d’investissements sont encore investis dans un environnement pollué plutôt que dans un air propre et sain.» La base de données, qui a traditionnellement pris en compte deux types de particules connues sous le nom de PM2,5 et PM10, a pour la première fois inclus des mesures au sol du dioxyde d’azote. La dernière version de la base de données a été publiée en 2018. Le dioxyde d’azote provient principalement de la combustion de carburant générée par l’homme, comme la circulation automobile, et est le plus courant dans les zones urbaines. L’exposition peut entraîner des maladies respiratoires comme l’asthme et des symptômes comme la toux, une respiration sifflante et des difficultés respiratoires, et davantage d’admissions à l’hôpital et aux urgences, a déclaré l’OMS. Les concentrations les plus élevées ont été trouvées dans la région de la Méditerranée orientale. Les matières particulaires ont de nombreuses sources, telles que les transports, les centrales électriques, l’agriculture, la combustion des déchets et l’industrie, ainsi que des sources naturelles comme la poussière du désert. Le monde en développement est particulièrement touché : l’Inde avait des niveaux élevés de PM10, tandis que la Chine affichait des niveaux élevés de PM2,5, selon la base de données. «Les particules, en particulier les PM2,5, sont capables de pénétrer profondément dans les poumons et de pénétrer dans la circulation sanguine, provoquant des impacts cardiovasculaires, cérébrovasculaires (AVC) et respiratoires», a déclaré l’OMS. «Il existe de nouvelles preuves que les particules ont un impact sur d’autres organes et provoquent également d’autres maladies.» Les résultats mettent en évidence l’ampleur des changements nécessaires pour lutter contre la pollution de l’air, a déclaré Anumita Roychowdhury, experte en pollution de l’air au Center for Science and Environment, une organisation de recherche et de plaidoyer à New Delhi. L’Inde et le monde doivent se préparer à des changements majeurs pour tenter de réduire la pollution de l’air : véhicules électriques, un abandon des combustibles fossiles, une augmentation massive de l’énergie verte et la séparation des types de déchets par les ménages, a-t-elle déclaré. Le Council on Energy, Environment and Water, un groupe de réflexion basé à New Delhi, a découvert dans une étude que plus de 60 % des charges de PM2,5 en Inde provenaient des ménages et des industries. Tanushree Ganguly, qui dirige le programme du conseil sur la qualité de l’air, a appelé à des mesures pour réduire les émissions des industries, des automobiles, de la combustion de la biomasse et de l’énergie domestique. «Nous devons accorder la priorité à l’accès à l’énergie propre pour les ménages qui en ont le plus besoin et prendre des mesures actives pour assainir notre secteur industriel», a-t-elle déclaré.

"Dünya Nüfusunun Yüzde 99'u Kötü Hava Soluyor"

Dünya Sağlık Örgütü (WHO), dünya genelinde insanların neredeyse tamamının kaliteli hava standartlarında olmayan havayı soluduğuna dikkat çekerek fosil yakıt kullanımını azaltma yönünde daha fazla adım atılması çağrısı yaptı. Solunum ve kan dolaşımı sorunlarına neden olan kirletici maddelerin, havaya salınmasında rol oynayan fosil yakıtlar, her yıl önlenebilir milyonlarca ölüme yol açıyor. WHO, hava kalitesi standartlarına ilişkin değerleri içeren yönergesini sıkılaştırmasından yaklaşık altı ay sonra Pazartesi günü yayınladığı açıklamada, hava kalitesine ilişkin veritabanını da güncelledi. Veritabanının güncellenmesinde dünya genelinde 6 bin kent, kasaba ve köy belediyesinden gelen bilgiler kullanıldı. Küresel nüfusun yüzde 99'unun, hava kalitesi standartlarının altında hava soluduğuna işaret eden WHO, kötü hava solunumuyla birlikte havadaki parçacıkların akciğerlere derinlemesine işlediğini, atar ve toplar damarlara girdiğini ve hastalığa neden olduğunu kaydetti. WHO'ya göre dünyada hava kalitesinin en kötü olduğu bölgeler Doğu Akdeniz, Güneydoğu Asya ve Afrika. WHO Çevre İklim Değişikliği ve Sağlık Dairesi Başkanı Dr. Maria Neira "Bir pandemiden kurtulduktan sonra kirli hava nedeniyle 7 milyon önlenebilir ölüm kaydedilmesi kabul edilebilir değil. Yine de hala temiz ve sağlıklı hava yerine çevrenin kirletilmesine katkısı olan çok sayıda yatırım yapılıyor" dedi. Kirli havada yer alan PM2.5 ve PM10 olarak bilinen iki tür parçacığa ilişkin verilerin yer aldığı veritabanı, ilk kez azot dioksitin zemin ölçümlerini de kapsama aldı. Veritabanının son versiyonu 2018 yılında yayınlanmıştı. Azot dioksit çoğunlukla araç trafiği kaynaklı yakıt tüketimi sonucu ortaya çıkıyor ve en çok kentsel alanları etkiliyor. Azot dioksite maruz kalmak astım, öksürük, hırıltılı solunum ya da solunum güçlüğü gibi belirtileri tetikliyor. Bu durum hastane ve acil servise başvuruların sayılarının artmasına neden oluyor. Azot dioksitin en yoğun olduğu bölgeyse Doğu Akdeniz. Havaya salınan parçacıkların kaynağı ulaşım, enerji santralleri, tarım, atıkların yakılması, sanayi ve çöl tozu gibi doğal kaynaklar. Gelişmekte olan ülkeler bu sorundan en çok etkilenenler. Hindistan PM10, Çin’se PM2.5 olarak bilinen parçacıkların dünyada en yoğun olduğu ülkeler. WHO'dan yapılan açıklamada "Parçacıklar, özellikle de PM2.5, akciğerlere derinlemesine işleme ve kan dolaşımına girme, kalp-damar sistemi, beyin damarları ve solunum üzerinde olumsuz etkiye yol açma özelliğine sahip. Parçacıkların başka organları da etkilediği ve hastalıklara neden olduğuna ilişkin kanıtlar da ortaya çıkıyor" denildi. Hindistan'ın Yeni Delhi kentindeki araştırma kurumu Bilim ve Çevre Merkezi'nden hava kirliliği uzmanı Anumita Roychowdhury, bulguların hava kirliliğiyle mücadele etmek için yapılması gereken değişikliklerin dev boyutunu ortaya koyduğuna işaret ediyor. Anumita Roychowdhury, Hindistan'ın ve diğer ülkelerin hava kirliliğiyle mücadele için büyük değişiklikler yapması gerektiğini, bunlar arasında elektrikli araçlara geçiş, fosil yakıtlardan uzaklaşma, yeşil enerji girişimlerine hız verme ve atık türlerini ayrıştırmanın olduğunu söylüyor. Yeni Delhi'deki düşünce kuruluşu Enerji Çevre ve Su Konseyi, Hindistan'ın PM2.5 türü parçacık yükünün yüzde 60'dan fazlasının konut ve sanayi kaynaklı olduğunu ortaya çıkardı. Enerji Çevre ve Su Konseyi'nin hava kalitesi programı sorumlusu Tanushree Ganguly, sanayi, otomobil, biyolojik atıkların yakılması ve konut enerjisi kaynaklı emisyonların azaltılması çağrısında bulundu.

درصد از مردم جهان هوای بی‌کیفیت تنفس می‌کنند 99

که آلاینده هایی را ایجاد می کند که باعث مشکلات تنفسی و جریان خون می شود و هر ساله منجر به میلیون ها مرگ قابل پیشگیری می شود. WHO گفت 99 درصد از جمعیت جهان هوایی تنفس می کنند که اغلب مملو از ذراتی است که می توانند به اعماق ریه ها نفوذ کرده، وارد سیاهرگ ها و شریان ها شوند و باعث بیماری شوند. دی اکسید نیتروژن عمدتاً از سوزاندن سوخت تولید شده توسط انسان، مانند تردد خودروها، منشاء می گیرد و در مناطق شهری رایج است. WHO گفت که قرار گرفتن در معرض آن می‌تواند باعث بیماری تنفسی مانند آسم و علائمی مانند سرفه، خس خس سینه و مشکل در تنفس و پذیرش بیشتر در بیمارستان ها و اورژانس شود. بیشترین غلظت در منطقه مدیترانه شرقی یافت شد. هند دارای سطوح بالای PM10 بود، در حالی که چین سطوح بالایی از PM2.5 را نشان داد. WHO گفت: "ذرات، به ویژه PM2.5، می توانند به اعماق ریه ها نفوذ کرده و وارد جریان خون شوند و باعث ایجاد عوارض قلبی عروقی، مغزی (سکته مغزی) و تنفسی شوند." شواهد جدیدی وجود دارد که نشان می‌دهد ذرات معلق بر اندام‌های دیگر تأثیر می‌گذارند و باعث بیماری‌های دیگری نیز می‌شوند.» آلوده ترین شهرهای جهان، رتبه بندی شده است Anumita Roychowdhury، کارشناس آلودگی هوا در مرکز علم و محیط زیست، یک سازمان تحقیقاتی و حمایتی در دهلی نو، گفت که هند و جهان باید خود را برای تغییرات عمده در تلاش برای مهار آلودگی هوا، از جمله استفاده از وسایل نقلیه الکتریکی، دور شدن از سوخت‌های فسیلی، پذیرش افزایش گسترده انرژی سبز و جداسازی انواع زباله‌ها آماده کنند. شورای انرژی، محیط زیست و آب، یک اندیشکده مستقر در دهلی نو، در مطالعه ای دریافت که بیش از 60 درصد از بارهای PM2.5 هند از خانوارها و صنایع است. تنوشری گانگولی، که سرپرستی برنامه شورا در مورد کیفیت هوا را بر عهده دارد، خواستار اقدام در جهت کاهش انتشار گازهای گلخانه ای از صنایع، خودروها، سوزاندن زیست توده و انرژی خانگی شد. او گفت: «ما باید دسترسی به انرژی پاک را برای خانوارهایی که بیشتر به آن نیاز دارند اولویت دهیم و اقدامات فعالی را برای پاکسازی بخش صنعتی خود انجام دهیم. ان

Energy geopolitics and LNG

The Russia-Ukraine war has put the spotlight on the role of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the global energy futures I am at the annual meeting of energy business magnates and experts — perhaps the most important of all such events — held in Houston, Texas. CeraWeek, as it is called, has been held this year after a two-year hiatus because of Covid-19. It is the worst of times — the Russia-Ukraine war is on; sanctions have been imposed; and energy prices are spiralling out of control. As I sit and listen to the oil and gas producers, I realise that I am seeing a tectonic shift in the global energy chessboard. The fact is, the energy price hike before and during the war has brought back focus on the role of conventional oil and gas companies. They are buoyant about their role in the post-war energy scenario — from drilling and pumping for more oil and gas to their role in the lucrative new markets in Europe. There is also a false narrative being bandied about — that this price hike and disruption are due to the efforts to transition from fossil fuels to green energy. The Russia-Ukraine war has put the spotlight on the role of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the global energy futures. LNG works where pipelines cannot reach; meaning, where major gas producers, Qatar and the US, cannot supply. They have developed options to first liquefy the gas so that it can be transported by container ships and then gassified for use in power plants, vehicles, or homes to generate energy. The war has meant that LNG is in greater demand — the US, for one, has a surfeit of it. So, at CeraWeek, the point of conversation was how the US could work with its allies to promote the use of this “cleaner” fossil fuel. Natural gas emits roughly 50 per cent less carbon dioxide than coal does. But it also has the additional problem of methane emissions — primarily from flaring and from leakages during transport and distribution. Methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas — it has a shorter residence time in the atmosphere but it “forces” the temperature to increase more than carbon dioxide does. But the big oil and gas industry has come out smelling of roses. It wants to capitalise on this opportunity provided by an energy crisis — and so it is making all the right noises. It says this clean gas revolution will be done responsibly. The industry will invest in methane abatement; the carbon dioxide emissions will be captured, utilised, or stored, and, of course, it will use the gas to manufacture “clean” hydrogen. As against green hydrogen, which is manufactured using renewable energy, this hydrogen will be blue — because it will be produced using natural gas, and then the emissions will be handled and abated. This plan is nothing less than a lullaby for energy-stressed governments. The European Union has already declared natural gas — a fossil fuel — as clean for use for climate change transitions. In this scenario, climate change can be handled without the pain of changing energy futures, and the companies which know the business will continue to run the world. Forget the fact that the International Energy Agency has said there cannot be new investment in oil and gas after 2020 if the world needs to stay on track to net-zero in 2050. Before I go any further, let me also put my cards on the table. I believe gas is an important clean fuel for our part of the world, which has a huge challenge of air pollution because of dirty combustion from coal. Way back in 1998, we at the Centre for Science and Environment advocated bringing in compressed natural gas to displace diesel in public transport. This happened and improved air quality. Now, we have coal being used in industrial boilers across the country, adding to massive health problems because of poor air. The option is to use cleaner natural gas or biomass in boilers, including in our polluting coal thermal power plants. We need clean fuel so that we can have clean electricity to drive our energy transition — biomass, renewables, and natural gas are our best bet to clean up local air pollution. But the question is if the already industrialised world should also get the “benefit” of using this fossil fuel. The fact is the carbon budget has already been appropriated by a few countries for their growth. These countries need deep decarbonisation, which would mean a transition to renewables and other non-fossil energy sources. They cannot re-invest in fossil fuels and call it clean and green. The problem is not just that these countries will take up more of the carbon budget because of their continued use of fossil fuels. It also means that the price of energy transition will go up — already, LNG is being diverted to Europe, which has a higher capacity to pay the costs. This will mean that countries like India will find it difficult to get out of the coal trap. This is cheaper fuel, however dirty, and because it is under our ground it has a higher quotient for the energy security experts. It takes us backwards. It makes the entire world unsafe and insecure. This is where the rubber meets the road — quite frankly.

Assessorati e Settori Tecnici all’Emergenza Climatica

Quando Jane Gilbert lo scorso aprile ha saputo di essere stata nominata all’incarico di responsabile per le ondate di calore alla Miami-Dade County – il primo caso negli Stati Uniti e nel mondo – non è rimasta sorpresa. Già titolare alla Resilienza per la Città di Miami, che è una delle circoscrizioni municipali comprese nella Miami-Dade County in Florida, sapeva che era arrivato il momento di accorgersi delle temperature estreme determinate dal cambiamento climatico. «Il caldo estremo è il principale killer legato al clima, ma lo si affronta come tale raramente. Finalmente oggi le città reagiscono mettendo in campo gestione e mitigazione» ci spiega Gilbert in una intervista rilasciata via email. Prevede di affrontare le sfide poste dal caldo estremo con un metodo olistico, anziché concentrarsi soltanto sulle risposte di emergenza e le mitigazioni. In meno di un anno dalla nomina di Gibert sono quattro le altre città che hanno seguito il medesimo esempio. Nel luglio 2021, Atene, capitale della Grecia, ha delegato all’ex vicesindaca Eleni Myrivili l’incarico di responsabile per il riscaldamento. A ottobre dello stesso anno, Phoenix, Arizona, e Freetown in Sierra Leone, hanno nominato i propri funzionari al tema. Il 3 marzo 2022, a Santiago, capitale del Cile, l’urbanista Cristina Huidobro assume il ruolo di quinta responsabile per il caldo estremo. Anche Los Angeles in California, ha cominciato le procedure di istituzione del ruolo e ricerca dei candidati. Questa urgenza delle città a dotarsi di responsabili rispecchia la nuova consapevolezza del riscaldamento in tutto il mondo. Le onde di calore hanno reclamato ben 166.000 vite tra il 1998 e il 2017, secondo i calcoli della Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità. Costi umani in crescita così come crescono incidenza e intensità delle ondate. Secondo il Sesto Rapporto sul Cambiamento Climatico 2021: The Physical Science Basis, pubblicato dallo Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change il 27 febbraio 2022, il 33% della popolazione mondiale sarebbe già esposto a stress da riscaldamento. E si potrebbe salire sino al 48-76% entro il 2100. «Sappiamo che la terra si riscalda e le città lo fanno più rapidamente del resto del territorio periurbano. Abbiamo rilevato fino a 10 gradi Celsius (°C) di differenza nelle temperature diurne e di 5 gradi in quelle notturne, fra Atene e la fascia esterna. Anche all’interno della città calcoliamo notevoli differenze di temperature» ci spiega la delegata Myrivili in una intervista video. Tempi incerti «Un responsabile delegato al riscaldamento ogni mattina si pone delle domande sul cambiamento climatico, e sul perché le città non prendano più sul serio a questione» spiega Myrivili. Quasi tutti questi chief heat officer sono entrati in carica nel momento in cui le loro amministrazioni si trovavano ad affrontare le peggiori ondate di calore in decenni. Il ritardo nell’intervenire, l’assenza di comunicazione, sono l’immagine peggiore dell’assenza di preparazione sia da parte dei decisori che dell’opinione pubblica. E di conseguenza i nuovi responsabili hanno individuato come aspetto essenziale del proprio lavoro la diffusione di consapevolezza del rischio dei picchi di calore. Gilbert ha iniziato a sollecitare i cittadini sia attraverso i media tradizionali che il social network. Affiggendo manifesti multilingue nei luoghi pubblici, attraverso programmi scolastici integrativi estivi. Ad Atene, Myrivili prova a costruire categorie delle ondate di calore sulla base degli effetti per la salute. Ciò contribuisce a far capire a tutti il pericolo che incombe, e a chi deve decidere le politiche cosa possa essere meglio per tutelarsi. La città ha anche varato EXTREMA Global, una applicazione da telefonino che consente agli utenti di valutare i rischi in tempo reale. La delegata di Freetown per il riscaldamento, Eugenia Kargbo sta sviluppando un piano per la città. Lavora con varie parti interessate per attuare interventi che riducano gli impatti dei picchi di calore e delle isole termiche urbane. Il suo problema più impellente è quello di raccogliere dati complessivi sul tema. «Non abbiamo nessuna base per le temperature nelle zone più vulnerabili della città, informazioni che sono essenziali per qualsiasi intervento» ci scrive Kargbo in una email. Programmi di inclusione I delegati al riscaldamento climatico con le loro iniziative si rivolgono alla popolazione più vulnerabile. Gli eventi climatici estremi colpiscono le proprietà e gli oggetti fisici, mentre le ondate di calore se la prendono direttamente col corpo umano. «La circolazione del sangue alle temperature più elevate perde regolazione, si altera la funzionalità degli organi. Il caldo di notte non fa dormire, affatica, porta a incidenti sul lavoro» continua Myrivili. Circa un quarto della popolazione di Atene non può permettersi l’aria condizionata o altri metodi per rinfrescare. «I più colpiti sono anziani e poveri» e le fasce più vulnerabili vengono disorientate dall’assenza di sonno dall’affaticamento e ciò si riversa anche in una crescita delle violenze su donne e minori. I programmi a medio termine di Myrivili si orientano verso l’individuazione e costruzione di una rete tra i soggetti più a rischio, per assicurare alcuni servizi come la continuità energetica, così che in caso di aumento delle temperature non debbano soffrire anche di blackout. Gilbert cerca soluzioni per la salvaguardia della salute di chi lavora all’esterno a Miami, oltre 30.000 persone che soffrono di malattie croniche a causa del caldo estremo. Sta sensibilizzando gli abitanti di tutta l’area di Miami-Dade County per il sostegno a una legge statale sulla tutela di queste fasce di lavoratori. Trae Stati USA (Oregon, California, e Stato di Washington) già hanno adottato provvedimenti del genere, che richiedono alle aziende di formare e informare sui metodi per prevenire malattie e incidenti, rendere disponibile sempre acqua sul posto di lavoro, garantire soste quando l’asticella di mercurio supera una soglia di sicurezza. Si lavora anche su «nodi di resilienza climatica», a cui rivolgersi in caso di temperature estreme: «Un servizio di fiducia dei cittadini per rinfrescarsi, ricaricare il telefono, ricevere servizi, eventualmente informazioni e formazione sull’efficienza energetica». Miami già possiede cooling centres nei parchi e biblioteche, ma per esempio non sono dotati di impianto di emergenza in caso di blackout. Ne è stato designato uno, di questi nodi di resilienza, e aprirne altri «è la nostra priorità» spiega Gilbert. I picchi di calore sono al tempo stesso una sfida puntuale e continuativa. Reclamano ogni anno tante vite, e l’uso esagerato di sistemi di condizionamento peggiora il problema delle emissioni degli stessi gas serra che riscaldano il clima. Scheda 1 «Un territorio sicuro alle ondate di calore ed equo» Jane Gilbert – foto Down to Earth JANE GILBERT – Prima delegata chief heat officer del mondo alla Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA NOMINA: 30 aprile 2021 OBIETTIVO: Stabilire un coordinamento e migliorare i servizi di tutela contro i picchi di calore, intraprendere nuove iniziative per ridurre rischi ed effetti dello stress climatico per i gruppi più vulnerabili del territorio COMPITI Costruire consapevolezza collettiva attraverso la comunicazione su vari media, a proposito dei pericoli delle temperature estreme Introdurre strumenti di azione per le amministrazioni locali ed altri enti a prevenire malattie e decessi legati al caldo Individuare le fasce di popolazione maggiormente a rischio e vulnerabili e capirne i bisogni Redigere un triennale Climate and Heat Health Action Plan al maggio 2022 Educare abitanti imprese amministrazioni su leggi e norme di sicurezza per la tutela dei lavoratori all’aria aperta Varare servizi territoriali «nodi di resilienza» a cui si possa far riferimento durante i picchi di calore Scheda 2 «Dobbiamo sensibilizzare i cittadini a prendere molto sul serio il riscaldamento» Eleni Myrivili – foto Down to Earth ELENI MYRIVILI – Chief heat officer ad Atene, Grecia NOMINA: 23 luglio 2021 OBIETTIVO: Accrescere la consapevolezza della popolazione sui rischi estremi delle elevate temperature e indurre all’azione di contrasto le amministrazioni COMPITI Aumentare la consapevolezza delle ondate di calore. Costruire una metodologia che sappia unire dati meteorologici, sanitari, morbilità, mortalità, e classificare così le ondate di calore Diffondere l’uso dell’app EXTREMA Global, che consente ai cittadini di valutare in tempo reale i rischi per la salute, e fornisce una mappa dei punti sicuri durante gli eventi estremi, una guida utile Individuare i soggetti vulnerabili e organizzarli a rete per monitorarli Isolare termicamente gli edifici e gli spazi pubblici grazie all’ombra. Utilizzare mezzi tradizionali per il rinfrescamento Scheda 3 «Organizzare una taskforce, predisporre una mappa delle temperature in città» Eugenia Kargbo – foto Down to Earth EUGENIA KARGBO – Chief heat officer a Freetown, Sierra Leone NOMINA: 26 ottobre 2021 OBIETTIVO: Sviluppare un piano per le temperature estreme, collaborare coi portatori di interessi per attuare interventi di mitigazione e ridurre lo stress da riscaldamento COMPITI Redigere un programma su quattro punti: comportamenti e comunicazione; coordinamento e rete; costruzione di una resilienza e di un sistema di regole Ricostruire una mappa del riscaldamento individuando i gruppi vulnerabili e le specificità dello stress climatico a Freetown Istituire una task force per la salute e sviluppare una applicazione per lanciare gli allarmi Sfruttare le innovazioni tecniche (tetti raffreddanti, vie all’ombra) e la natura (piantagione di mangrovie) per incrementare la resilienza Sviluppare nuove politiche, norme, leggi Costruire un metodo che possa essere applicato altrove in Africa da: Down To Earth, 1 aprile 2022 – Titolo originale: Why cities are hiring dedicated officials to prepare for extreme heat – Traduzione di Fabrizio Bottini

Central taskforce formed to ensure ‘synergy' between Forest Act, forest & agro-forest regulations, promote sustainability

A central task force to ensure “synergy” between the National Forest Policy, Forest (Conservation) Act and National Agro-Forest Policy aiming to promote sustainable development has been set up with an aim to develop “synergies” between the three legislations and promote sustainability. "It has been decided to constitute a Task Force under the chairmanship of Director General Forests and Special Secretary to study and analyse the National Forest Policy, 1988, the proposed National Forest Policy, proposed amendments in the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and the current regulatory regimes on agro-forestry/tree outside forests across the country, in order to make recommendations to develop synergies for promotion of sustainable development and management of forests and trees outside forests in the country," said the Union Environment Ministry in an Office Memorandum issued recently. The National Forest Policy 1988 is presently in a draft shape, unveiled by the Union Environment Ministry in 2018. The final version is yet to be made public. Nearly three and a half years ago, in June 2016, the Environment Ministry had unveiled a draft NFP but when following flak from activists for not being enough to protect the then-existing forest regulations, the Ministry had backtracked on it, calling it just a “study”. In 2018, the Center officially unveiled the draft of the NFP. The draft was then revised in 2019 as well but since then there has been no development in the matter. The task force is expected to give its observation in the draft NFP further. The Environment Ministry which released a consultation paper October 2, 2021 on the proposed amendments in Forest Conservation Act, 1980 with reference to the amendments made in 1988 in this Act is already drawing flak for the gaps in the proposed legislation. A report published in the Centre for Science and Environment termed the proposed amendments “a very conscious larceny (theft of personal property) of village resources.” “The Narendra Modi-led Union government is making every effort towards providing ‘ease of doing business’ to its cronies. This latest move needs to be seen in the same context. It is effectively reiterating through these proposed amendments that this step is aimed at providing exemptions to businesses in the garb of ‘development’,” it said. The task force, with a tenure of two months, will submit its report in 60 days. If needed, it can co-opt any member, the memorandum noted. Most of the proposed members of the 19-member task force are either directly or indirectly part of the Ministry with only three from outside this circle

‘Cycling safety non-existent in Delhi’

To avoid accidents, as well as for personal protection, cycling enthusiasts in the Capital say they use safety measures such as wearing helmets and bright and reflective clothing, as well as using front and rear lights to ensure people spot them on the road. It’s been nine months since 50-year-old Manish Jayal met with an accident in southeast Delhi’s Sunlight Colony while riding his bicycle with a group of friends. After spending four days in a hospital and being immobile for a month, he was finally able to move. A fitness coach who has been riding bicycles for 14 years, he says that there is no respect for cyclists on Delhi-NCR roads. Also Read | Sepoy held for running over cyclist on Sardar Patel Marg “Riding a bicycle in itself is tough because roads are cleaned in the middle. We ride on the left, where there’s mud and litter. On top of that, vehicle drivers expect that cyclists will give way to them instead of them changing their lane for us,” says Jayal, who started running in January but hasn’t started cycling yet. “In western countries, drivers give preference to pedestrians and cyclists but here, people don’t even look at us.” In the last 14 years, he says, “the number of vehicles has increased, but there is no change in people’s road etiquette”. Priti Agarwal, a 40-year-old cyclist and a businesswoman, says that she has been cycling for two years now but doesn’t have the courage to ride if she doesn’t have a cycling partner. RELATED STORIES Mumbai police to seize vehicles which ply on wrong side of road Mumbai police to seize vehicles which ply on wrong side of road Vandalism at Delhi CM home: Day after 8 held, search on for 20 more Vandalism at Delhi CM home: Day after 8 held, search on for 20 more Centre’s panel takes over Delhi Gymkhana’s affairs Centre’s panel takes over Delhi Gymkhana’s affairs GB Nagar Police starts ‘anti-romeo’ drive to ensure safety of women in district GB Nagar Police starts ‘anti-romeo’ drive to ensure safety of women in district Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation to improve security at headquarters with advanced equipment Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation to improve security at headquarters with advanced equipment Security outside Delhi CMs residence during attack was inadequate: High court Security outside Delhi CM's residence during attack was inadequate: High court Traffic police launch app to analyse, reduce road accidents in Gurugram Traffic police launch app to analyse, reduce road accidents in Gurugram Chandigarh | Two cops shifted to traffic lines for manhandling SUV driver Chandigarh | Two cops shifted to traffic lines for manhandling SUV driver “We hear and witness incidents of snatching, accidents, ogling and what not. In Delhi-NCR, a woman doesn’t feel safe riding alone. I’ve met cyclists from Pune and south India who say they don’t face such problems,” she says. She also says there is a need for awareness among people and a general willingness to help. “We lost four cyclists in one year. If they had received immediate help after meeting with an accident, they might have been saved,” she said. Rajesh Maurya, a 43-year-old cyclist, says that while there are cycling lanes on some stretches, they are not maintained. “There’s no space for us to cycle there because they’re occupied by hawkers, stray animals or parked vehicles. They should be maintained,” he says. Cyclists said they use personal safety measures such as wearing helmets and bright and reflective clothing, as well as using front and rear lights to ensure people spot them on the road. This comes despite various agencies claiming they working on developing cyclist-friendly infrastructure in the Capital, including dedicated cycling lanes as part of the government’s 540km road redesign project. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA), for instance, said it has taken up two major projects for cycling infrastructure--a 16km-long dedicated cycling track in Dwarka along the Metro corridor and a 200km-long continuous track for cycling and walking connecting the green spaces in south Delhi. Despite these moves, experts have said the safety of cyclists is a major concern, especially after the pandemic when a large number of people started cycling in the Capital, as there are no continuous cycling tracks and demarcations on arterial roads for cyclists. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment, said that while redesigning roads, the focus should be on reducing the speed differential between vehicles and other road users. “While designing roads, importance is given to the speed of vehicles and providing them with uninterrupted access. By doing this, we are ignoring other road users. At a time when the focus is on zero-emission, we need to design roads keeping the safety of pedestrians and cyclists in mind. We have to reduce the speed differential between vehicles and other road users.”

Need air pollution subsidy for women to move from solid fuels to LPG: Sunita Narain

Eminent environmentalist Sunita Narain has stressed the need for an "air pollution subsidy" programme to make households move from solid fuels to LPG and reduce the burden on the health of poor women Eminent environmentalist Sunita Narain has stressed the need for an "air pollution subsidy" programme to make households move from solid fuels to LPG and reduce the burden on the health of poor women. She also said air pollution is a political issue and people won't get the air they deserve if "we don't get the politics of development right". "The government's Ujjawala programme is an excellent effort and Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) said I am taking the subsidy from the rich and giving it to the poor and I am also doing it to prevent women from getting exposed to air pollution'. This is an excellently structured programme. "LPG cylinder has reached the people, but they are not buying a refill... The problem is we do not value the labour of women," Narain said in response to a question at a discussion on air pollution. Solid fuel is not a predominant source when it comes to pollution in Delhi. However, it's a very prime source when it comes to women's health in rural areas in north India where the inversion of air happens, she said. An inversion represents a layer of the atmosphere that gets warmer with height. A layer of cooler air is trapped near the ground by a layer of warm air above the surface. When the air cannot rise, pollutant concentration increases. "Unless you have inclusive growth and the poor women can move from chulha to cleaner fuel, you will not get the air we deserve. "So, air quality is a contested issue, it's a political issue... if we don't get the politics of development right, we won't get the air we deserve... that's where politics and environment come together when it comes to air pollution," Narain, the director-general of the green think tank Centre for Science and Environment, said. "The government should come up with an air pollution subsidy programme in all non-attainment areas in India. This subsidy should be given to all households to move from solid fuels to LPG," she suggested, adding, "On a pan-India basis, my suggestion would be to give people electricity to cook food." Non-attainment areas are those that have fallen short of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for over five years. The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, launched on May 1, 2016, aims to provide clean fuel to women below the poverty line to prevent health-related issues. Under the scheme, financial support of Rs 1,600 is provided for each LPG connection for BPL households. The connections are given in the name of the women head of the households. The scheme is being implemented using the money saved in LPG subsidy through the 'give-it-up' campaign. People who have given up subsidies are buying LPG cylinders at market price. Narain also said the overall pollution from electric vehicles is not lower than BS VI-compliant vehicles. "Only thing is you've moved pollutants from Delhi to Chhattisgarh where power plants are. "So, if we are looking to find a solution from electric vehicles (EV) we need to move our power plants to cleaner coal or move them to gas or renewables to reduce emissions. The overall impact of EVs will be much better if the electricity is clean," she said. However, EVs will play a much better role in Delhi as they do not have the factor of local pollution compared to diesel and petrol vehicles. "Still, you need to transform mobility if you want to have a greater impact of EVs. Bringing in a few cars and autos won't work. We will see an impact if we have all cars, taxis, autos and buses running on electricity," Narain said. She also said there has been a lot of effort to complicate the sources "so that we do not act (against air pollution)". "We need more knowledge, science, we need to know more sources of pollution. But we first need to act on what we know. "The inability to act has also a lot to do with the fact that it is an extremely politically contested issue... Air pollution is not a very polite issue which can be discussed very gently because it has interests which are in the interest of air pollution versus what needs to be done," the environmentalist said. Narain said a lot has been done to improve the quality of fuel and vehicle technology. But "now the problem is the very large number of vehicles on the roads", she said. "It's simple science. If you keep adding vehicles on the roads, you end up negating the impact of cleaning the fuel and vehicles. We need a complete reinvention of mobility, which we have not even begun to address," she said.