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Down To Earth

500 GW from renewable energy by 2030, says Union min

Bathinda: Union minister of environment, forests and climate change Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday released Down to Earth’s annual State of India’ Environment Report 2022 at an annual conclave organised by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) at Nimli in Rajasthan. Speaking on the occasion, he said that reducing consumption and forming a self-restrained society is the only way that we can live with nature harmoniously. The four days conclave, Anil Agarwal Dialogue, is back in its physical form after a pandemic and lockdown induced hiatus of almost two years. As many as 60 journalists are participating from across India at Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute (AAETI). Speaking at the conclave, CSE director general Sunita Narain said: “In the last two years, the world has seen disruption at a scale not seen before. Both Covid-19 and climate change are the result of our ‘dystopian’ relationship with nature. Covid-19 is because we are breaking the barrier between the wild habitats/humans and the way we produce our food. And climate change is the result of emissions needed for economic growth – fossil fuels are unsustainable; our lifestyle is the problem.” Both are also linked, and are being exacerbated because of our mismanagement of health systems and the environment, she added. Yadav highlighted three extremely critical issues that confronts the nation today — climate change, desertification, and the sustainability-affordability linkage. He said: “We can change people’s lives by linking affordability with sustainability. We have to link traditional knowledge with scientific temperament; we sometimes are so proud of traditional knowledge that we forget logic. But we have to think of logic and affordability along with tradition to make it work.” Referring to India’s efforts to achieve net zero by 2070, Yadav pointed out that since emissions from the energy sector were the highest, the government was putting more emphasis on it. He said: “By 2030, we plan to have 500 GW from renewable energy. Railways will be electrified by 2030 -- that will reduce 80 billion tonne of emissions. We also plan to employ LED bulbs at a large scale, which can reduce 40 billion tonne of emissions. We are also focussing on hydrogen. If we can make hydrogen sustainable and affordable, we can bring big changes in the world.” Talking of global climate negotiations and India’s position, the minister said that environmental negotiations “is not about give and take – it is about saving humanity. The developed nations must take historic responsibility and consider what their ancestors have done in the past.” Narain said: “India needs to act in its own self-interest. Our climate change strategy has to be based on the principle of co-benefits – we will do something for climate change because it is good for the world, but also because it is good for us. We need a low-carbon strategy for every sector; we must also ask the developed world to pay for and give us the high-cost options so that we can leapfrog.”

Down To Earth

Extreme weather events in 2021 caused maximum deaths in Maharashtra, Odisha, MP: IMD data

Nimli (Rajasthan): In 2021, extreme weather events accounted for maximum deaths in central part of India, from Maharashtra, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General, Meteorology, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said on Wednesday. Apart from lightning that registered the highest number of deaths, it was flooding that was responsible for maximum deaths in the country. “In the year 2021, the extreme weather events accounted for the maximum number of deaths in Maharashtra, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh and the largest number of districts that were affected were in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh,” Mohapatra said here during his virtual presentation at a media conclave, the Anil Agarwal Dialogue 2022, organised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The number of very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall events in the month of June and July were higher in 2021 compared to previous year. In June, there were 277 incidences of very heavy rainfall (between 115.6 mm and 204.5 mm) in 2021 compared to 262 in 2020 and 211 in 2019 while there were 35 incidences of extremely heavy rainfall (more than 204.5 mm) in 2021 compared to 36 in 2020 and 52 in 2019. Similarly, in July, there were 121 incidents of extremely heavy rainfall in 2021 compared to 90 in 2020 and 161 in 2019, the IMD data showed. Western Ghats were especially vulnerable in the entire country when it came to receiving heavy and extremely heavy rainfall. Heavy rainfall and flood-related incidents reportedly claimed 750 lives, he said, adding, however, lightning and thunderstorms took 780 lives. At a session on the subject of extreme weather events and climate change, Down to Earth’s Akshit Sangomla pointed out salient points from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report released two days ago. The Earth’s average surface temperature rise will cross 1.5 degrees Celsius in the next 20 years, and 2 degrees Celsius by the middle of the century if there is no drastic reduction in GHG emissions. “Even if emissions are brought to net-zero by the middle of the 21st century, there will be an ‘overshoot’ of the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit by 0.1 degrees Celsius. A scary forecast is that the Arctic is likely to become sea-ice free in September — the peak summer month — at least once before 2050,” he pointed out. Professor of Environmental Sciences at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, A.P. Dimri echoed the dire warnings. “Glaciers are depleting and increasing the flow of rivers in north India. The northern sides of the country will receive more rain compared to the eastern side. Cloudburst is becoming common, and we have found that in case of a cloudburst along the foothills of the Himalayas, the precipitation goes up by 14 per cent.” Before the session, CSE Director General, Sunita Narain had rung the alarm bell too. “The latest IPCC report has made it clear that the world has a small window to act to reverse the damage — climate change impacts are devastating; half the world’s population is highly vulnerable to the catastrophic changes; and this will get worse, much worse.”

Down To Earth

Environment: Experts Ring Alarm Bells as Extreme Weather Events Rapidly Increasing in India

In 2021, extreme weather events accounted for the maximum number of deaths in the state of Maharashtra, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh. Nimli (Rajasthan): Extreme weather events have claimed lives across India and are set to affect the livelihood of many people, mainly the poor. It was revealed by experts that extreme weather events are likely to increase in the coming days due to climate change. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of meteorology, India Meteorological Department (IMD), said that in 2021, extreme weather events accounted for the maximum number of deaths in the states of Maharashtra, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh; the largest number of districts were affected in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Mohapatra spoke at a four-day Anil Agarwal Dialogue 2022, organised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). He said that there was a rising trend of heat and cold waves and rainfall. Heavy rainfall and flood-related incidents reportedly claimed over 750 deaths. Similarly, thunderstorms and lightning claimed more than 700 deaths last year, AP Dimri, professor of environmental sciences at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University – who was one of the speakers – echoed the dire warnings. "Glaciers are depleting and increasing the flow of rivers in north India. The northern sides of the country will receive more rain compared to the eastern side. Cloudburst is becoming common, and we have found that in case of a cloudburst along the foothills of the Himalayas, the precipitation goes up by 14%." Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune, speaking in the same session, focused on the relatively lesser-known phenomenon of marine heatwaves. According to him, the Indian ocean is the fastest-warming ocean basin globally, severely impacting the South Asian region. Marine heatwaves are leading to a decline in phytoplankton populations and affecting the ocean fisheries. "About 93% of the heat from global warming goes into the oceans. Warm waters are an energy source for cyclones – the frequency, intensity, rapidity, and duration. The Indian ocean, our research shows, will become conducive to cyclones as warming rises. Marine heatwaves also lead to marine habitat destruction due to coral bleaching, seagrass destruction and loss of kelp forests, affecting the fisheries sector adversely," said Koll. Sunita Narain, director general, CSE, rang the alarm bells. "The latest IPCC report has made it clear that the world has a small window to act to reverse the damage -- climate change impacts are devastating; half the world's population is highly vulnerable to the catastrophic changes; and this will get worse, much worse. The report acknowledges that the poor in the world are the worst-hit – they are the victims, they have not contributed to the stock of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. And the report – for the first time – has talked about increasing climate change-related displacement. This will increase insecurity in our world." Akshit Sangomla of Down To Earth said, "2021 was a very significant year, a year of extremes. It was one of the seven warmest years ever recorded. India ranked third in the world in experiencing climate change disasters. And lightning and thunderstorms accounted for the maximum number of climate-change-related deaths." As per the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report, the Earth's average surface temperature rise will cross 1.5°C in the next 20 years and 2°C by the middle of the century if there is no drastic reduction in GHG emissions. Even if emissions are brought to net-zero by the middle of the 21st century, there will be an "overshoot" of the 1.5°C limits by 0.1°C. The threshold of 2°C will be "exceeded during the 21st century" without deep emissions cuts "in the coming decades". "A scary forecast is that the Arctic is likely to become sea-ice free in September -- the peak summer month -- at least once before 2050," Sangomla said. Anil Agarwal Dialogue 2022, as the conclave is called, is an annual event. This year, it has brought together about 70 journalists from across the country to discuss some of India's critical environmental challenges. The dialogue was inaugurated on March 1 by the Union minister for environment, forest and climate change, Bhupender Yadav, who also released CSE and Down To Earth magazine's Annual State of India's Environment 2022 report on the occasion.

Down To Earth

Extreme weather events in 2021 claimed maximum lives in Odisha: IMD

Down To Earth

Extreme weather events in 2021 caused maximum deaths in Maharashtra, Odisha, MP: IMD data

Apart from lightning that registered the highest number of deaths, it was flooding that was responsible for the maximum deaths in the country. In 2021, extreme weather events accounted for maximum deaths in central part of India, from Maharashtra, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director-General, Meteorology, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said on Wednesday (March 2). Apart from lightning that registered the highest number of deaths, it was flooding that was responsible for the maximum deaths in the country. "In the year 2021, the extreme weather events accounted for the maximum number of deaths in Maharashtra, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh and the largest number of districts that were affected were in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh," Mohapatra said here during his virtual presentation at a media conclave, the Anil Agarwal Dialogue 2022, organised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The number of very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall events in the month of June and July were higher in 2021 compared to previous year. In June, there were 277 incidences of very heavy rainfall (between 115.6 mm and 204.5 mm) in 2021 compared to 262 in 2020 and 211 in 2019 while there were 35 incidences of extremely heavy rainfall (more than 204.5 mm) in 2021 compared to 36 in 2020 and 52 in 2019. Similarly, in July, there were 121 incidents of extremely heavy rainfall in 2021 compared to 90 in 2020 and 161 in 2019, the IMD data showed. Western Ghats were especially vulnerable in the entire country when it came to receiving heavy and extremely heavy rainfall. Heavy rainfall and flood-related incidents reportedly claimed 750 lives, he said, adding, however, lightning and thunderstorms took 780 lives. At a session on the subject of extreme weather events and climate change, Down to Earth's Akshit Sangomla pointed out salient points from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report released two days ago. The Earth's average surface temperature rise will cross 1.5 degrees Celsius in the next 20 years, and 2 degrees Celsius by the middle of the century if there is no drastic reduction in GHG emissions. "Even if emissions are brought to net-zero by the middle of the 21st century, there will be an 'overshoot' of the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit by 0.1 degrees Celsius. A scary forecast is that the Arctic is likely to become sea-ice free in September- the peak summer month- at least once before 2050," he pointed out. Professor of Environmental Sciences at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, AP Dimri echoed the dire warnings. "Glaciers are depleting and increasing the flow of rivers in north India. The northern sides of the country will receive more rain compared to the eastern side. Cloudburst is becoming common, and we have found that in case of a cloudburst along the foothills of the Himalayas, the precipitation goes up by 14 per cent." Before the session, CSE Director General, Sunita Narain had rung the alarm bell too. "The latest IPCC report has made it clear that the world has a small window to act to reverse the damage- climate change impacts are devastating; half the world's population is highly vulnerable to the catastrophic changes; and this will get worse, much worse."

Water Programme

NHRC issues notices to Delhi govt, DDA on ‘disappearing’ water bodies in national capital

National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the Delhi government and DDA over reported disappearance of water bodies in Delhi due to alleged unplanned growth and negligence by authorities, officials said on Thursday. The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report on the issue, which it said was “a matter of concern,” they said. “Notices have been issued to the chief secretary, government of NCT of Delhi and the Vice-Chairman, Delhi Development Authority, calling for a detailed report in the matter within six weeks,” the NHRC said in a statement. There are laws and guidelines to safeguard such vital components of environment. The alleged negligence by the authorities tantamount to “violation of human rights”, as the water bodies and wetlands are a vital part of the hydrological cycle, which supports rich biodiversity and provides a wide range of ecosystem services such as water storage, water purification, flood control, erosion control and microclimate regulation etc. It also helps mitigate urban floods, the NHRC added. The Commission has also noted that on April 23, 2019, Wetland Authority was constituted under the chairpersonship of the chief secretary, in Delhi for conservation and management of wetlands. According to the media report, carried Thursday on March 3, 2022, these waterbodies, which play a major role in maintaining ecological balance in the region have either been “encroached upon, concretised, or polluted with sewage,” the statement said. Delhi has reportedly 1,043 identified waterbodies belonging to different authorities and according to the reported official data, 169 of them have been either infringed on or destroyed. Giving example of a waterbody in Khichripur area, the media report says that though it has been included in the official record for years but it is yet to be reclaimed or rejuvenated, it added. It is also mentioned that out of these 169 encroached waterbodies, a total 103 belonged to the Delhi Development Authority. The DDA reportedly owns 836 waterbodies, which is the highest number in the city followed by the Revenue Department, which has a total 131 under its ambit. Further, quoting the Centre for Science and Environment, the media report said that according to a 1997 survey, there were 1,000 waterbodies in Delhi, but at present less than 700 remain. PTI KND RCJ RCJ

Down To Earth

ZSI red flags four fish species, two turtle species and 12 reptiles for conservation

ALWAR (RAJASTHAN): Talks of global climate change are no longer confined to scientific studies and research papers as none other than the Zoological Survey of India has expressed concern over the increasing pace of losing species during the last century. Director ZSI, Dr Dhriti Banerjee said that during the past 20 years around one fifth of the species in an earmarked geographical area have vanished. She was answering queries of journalists at a symposium organised by the Centre for science and environment in Alwar on Thursday. “Though I am not going to use the term extinction, as it involves several official processes, there is no doubt that the level of loss of species in the last 100 years is very evident. When I started my career and had sampled species at a place in Arunanchal Pradesh in 1998; and when I visit the same place today, I find that at least one fifth of the species are missing,” she said. Banerjee however pointed out that around 900 species have gone extinct since 1500AD and they are part of evolutionary history. “What concerns us most is the rate at which we are losing them and that the trigger is man made and not natural,” she said. The primary drivers for triggering the next (6th) mass extinction drive are identified as environmental changes, deforestation, climate change, ocean acidification, hunting and pollution of the ecosystem. The ZSI has recently red flagged four to five fish species, two turtle species and a dozen reptile species as endangered and in need of conservation. The ZSI director said that slow and reverse deforestation, allowing ecosystems to heal and most importantly protecting biodiversity is key to prevent or delay the mass extinction. Corroborating her views , chairperson of National Biodiversity Authority VB Mathur said that it was because of all activities centered around homo sapiens, (just one species) that the balance of nature was being disrupted. “out of several lakh plant and animal species identified globally just 12 crops and five animal species provide 75% of world food security, resulting in their over production and dominance,” he said. Describing the Biological Diversity Act of 2002 as a tool to protect biodiversity he said that community participation was key to its success and because of that the concept of Peoples Biodiversity Register was introduced,” he said underlining the need for capacity building of panchayat level Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs). Richard Mahapatra of CSE said that humans are not only the reason for extinction of other species, but also decide which one will survive and thrive. “Of total mammals 60% are livestock, 36% are pigs and just 4% are wild. Similarly of total birds 70% are poultry chickens and other farmed birds,” he said. ZSI director also admitted that the ‘humanloving’ species are thriving and if there is a loss of a few species, there are also instances of an overgrowing population of some others. “I have noticed some insects vanishing and the same area being dominated by some other insect species that we consider as humanloving,” she said.

Down To Earth

सहित पूरे देश के 34 प्रतिशत जंगल, बता रहीं पर्यावरणविद सुनीता नारायण

नीमली (राजस्‍थान), मोहन झा। इंडिया स्टेट ऑफ फारेस्ट रिपोर्ट - 2021 के मुताबिक पश्चिम बंगाल के कुल रिकॉर्डेड फॉरेस्ट क्षेत्र का 40.13 प्रतिशत वन आवरण गायब हो गया है। वहीं पड़ोसी राज्य सिक्किम का 64.83 प्रतिशत वन आवरण क्षेत्र गायब हो गया है। सिर्फ बंगाल और सिक्किम का ही नहीं बल्कि पूरे भारत मे रिकॉर्डेड फाॅरेस्ट एरिया का 34 प्रतिशत क्षेत्र का वन गायब है। यह आंकड़ा हैरान करने वाला है कि इतना बड़ा जंगल आखिर गायब कहां हो गया। यूपी के क्षेत्रफल से भी बड़ा है लापता एरिया दिल्ली की एक संस्था सेंटर फाॅर साइन्स एंड इन्‍वॉयरमेंट (सीएसइ) ने इंडिया स्टेट ऑफ फाॅरेस्ट (आइएसएफआर) द्वारा जारी रिपोर्ट-2021 का विश्लेषण किया है। राजस्थान के अलवर जिला अंतर्गत नीमली स्थित अनिल अग्रवाल इन्‍वायरमेंट ट्रेनिंग इंस्‍टीट्यूट मे आयोजित मीडिया कार्यशाला में सीएसई की डायरेक्‍टर जनरल सुनीता नारायण ने बताया कि भारत का कुल भौगोलिक क्षेत्र 32.874 करोड़ हेक्टेयर है। जिसका 23.5 प्रतिशत यानि 7.753 करोड़ हेक्टेयर फाॅरेस्ट एरिया है। जबकि 2021 मे आइएसएफआर द्वारा जारी रिपोर्ट मे वन आवरण के साथ 5.166 करोड़ हेक्टेयर एरिया बताया गया है। 2.587 करोड़ हेक्टेयर एरिया लापता है। जिसमे पश्चिम बंगाल की कुल रिकार्डेड फारेस्ट एरिया 11 लाख 87 हज़ार 889 हेक्टेयर का 40.13 प्रतिशत यानि 4 लाख 76 हज़ार 700 हेक्टेयर वन गायब है। रिपोर्ट मे लापता वन क्षेत्र का कहीं कोई उल्लेख नहीं है कि, यह क्षेत्र या जमीन कहां और किस स्थिति में है। लापता क्षेत्र देश के बड़े राज्यों मे से एक उत्तर प्रदेश के भौगोलिक आकार से भी बड़ा है। ऐसे मे सवाल खड़ा होता है कि क्या यह भूमि मौजूद भी है या नहीं? कहीं इस पर अतिक्रमण तो नहीं हो गया? या फिर क्या यह भूमि इतनी खराब हो चुकी है कि इसके जंगल कि गणना ही नहीं हो सकती है। सीएसई कि निदेशक व पर्यावरणविद् सुनीता नारायण कहती हैं कि रिकार्डेड फाॅरेस्ट क्षेत्र को आरक्षित, संरक्षित और अवर्गित वन मे विभाजित किया गया है। वर्ष 1987 मे आइएसएफआर द्वारा जारी पहली रिपोर्ट से किए गए मूल्यांकन में पाया गया है कि पिछले तीन तीन दशकों से राज्य अभिलिखित वन क्षेत्र स्थिर है। लेकिन वन आवरण वास्तविक क्षेत्र है जहां वन मौजूद है। भूमि है लेकिन जंगल नहीं सुनीता नारायण आगे बताती हैं कि गहराई मे उतरने पर यह स्पष्ट हो जाता है कि प्रमुख वन राज्यों में वन विभाग के तहत भूमि का बड़ा हिस्सा सूची में है। पश्चिम बंगाल के अलावा वनाच्छादित मध्य प्रदेश मे रिकाॅर्डेड फाॅरेस्ट एरिया और वन आवरण के बीच का अंतर 32 प्रतिशत है। बल्कि झारखंड मे यह अंतर 51 प्रतिशत से अधिक है। अगर यह कहा जाए कि यह अंतर उच्च हिमालय मे बर्फ से ढकें क्षेत्रों मे गैर जोताई वाली भूमि के कारण है। तब भी लापता वन क्षेत्र के बड़े हिस्से और वनो पर यह लागू नहीं होता है। बल्कि महत्वपूर्ण यह है कि यदि यह भूमि स्क्रब या झाड़ी थी, जिसमे बहुत कम या कोई वनस्पति नहीं थी, तो भी इसका लेखा-जोखा रिपोर्ट मे होना चाहिए। राज्य के रिकार्डेड फारेस्ट क्षेत्र से गायब वन आवरण का प्रतिशत राज्य प्रतिशत गोवा 4.01 त्रिपुरा 13.68 मणिपुर 14.84 केरल 16 तमिलनाडु 24.40 असम 25.46 छत्तीसगढ़ 29 मध्य परदेस 31.60 तेलंगाना 32.48 आंध्र प्रदेश 34.94 बिहार 35.08 पश्चिम बंगाल 40.13 कर्नाटक 41.10 महाराष्ट्र 41.83 दिल्ली 42.55 ओडिसा 46.59 उत्तर प्रदेश 47.41 झारखंड 51.10 गुजरात 55.03 उत्तराखंड 55.83 राजस्थान 61.78 सिक्किम 64.83 हिमाचल 71.95 पंजाब 74.45 चंडीगढ़ 75.14 हरियाणा 76.01

Down To Earth

भारत 17 SDG लक्ष्यों पर 3 पायदान फिसलकर 120 पर आ गया : DTE की 9वीं भारत की पर्यावरण

भारत 17 SDG लक्ष्यों पर 3 पायदान फिसलकर 120 पर आ गया : DTE की 9वीं भारत की पर्यावरण Details : https://affairscloud.com/%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A4-17-sdg-%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%82-%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B0-3-%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8/

Down To Earth

खाने पीने की आदतें सालाना ग्रीन हाउस गैसों में 21 से 37 फीसद योगदान देती हैं

दुनिया के 7.8 अरब लोगों की मानवीय गतिविधियों में उनके खाने पीने की आदतें ऐसी चीज हैं जो हर साल उत्सर्जित होने वाली ग्रीनहाउस गैसों (जीएसजी) में 21 से 37 फीसद तक योगदान देती हैं। इसका मतलब यह है कि हमारी खाद्य प्रणाली (वह प्रक्रिया जिसमें अनाजों का उत्पादन, उपभोग, वितरण और निस्तारण), परिवहन (वैश्विक जीएचजी उत्सर्जन 14 फीसद), इमारतों में उर्जा उपयोग(16 फीसद) उद्योगों(21 फीसद और बिजली उत्पादन(25 फीसद) से ज्यादा ग्रीन हाउस गैसों का उत्सर्जन करते हैं। केवल खाद्य प्रणाली का उत्सर्जन ही धरती का तापमान 1.5 डिग्री तक बढ़ा सकता है वास्तव में जब बाकी सभी स्त्रोतों के उत्सर्जन में ठहराव पर काम हो रहा हो और केवल वैश्विक खाद्य प्रणाली अछूती रहे तो यह अकेले ही इतना ग्रीन हाउस गैस उत्सर्जित कर सकती है जो धरती को गर्म कर तापमान को 1.5 डिग्री सेल्सियस तक पहुंचा सकता है। यह आंकड़े स्टेट ऑफ इंडियाज एनवायरमेंट 2022 रिपोर्ट में सामने आए हैं। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड इनवायरमेंट की विभा वाष्र्णेय कहती हैं कि अमेरिकी शोधकर्ताओं का मानना है कि जो लोग यह सोचते हैं कि पौधे केवल कॉर्बन सोखते हैं। उनके लिए सच यह है कि पौधे प्रकाश संश्लेषण क्रिया के जरिए वातावरण में मौजूद सीओ2 निकालते हैं। लेकिन वह विघटित होने पर बड़ी मात्रा में गैस छोड़ते भी हैं। भारत 17 सतत विकास लक्ष्यों में 3 पायदान नीचे खिसका 16 देशों के 37 वैज्ञानिकों के समूह ने दी है सुरक्षित आहार प्रणाली यही कारण है कि खाद्य प्रणाली प्रत्यक्ष या अप्रत्यक्ष तरीके से जीएचजी उत्सर्जन में योगदान देती है। जीवाष्म ईंधन का उपयोग करने वाली कृषि मशीनरी, कृषि रसायन और उर्वरकों का निर्माण भी जीएचजी छोड़ता है। वाष्र्णेय ने कहा कि 16 देशों के 37 वैज्ञानिकों के समूह द ईएटी लांसेट कमीशन ऑन फूड प्लेनेट एंड हेल्थ ने खाद्य प्रणालियों के लिए वैश्विक लक्ष्य तय किए हैं। जो पर्यावरण की दृष्टि से टिकाऊ और मानव स्वास्थ्य लाभ पहुंचाते हैं। इस खाद्य प्रणाली से 10 सालों में शहरी जीएचजी उत्सर्जन को 60 फीसद तक कम किया जा सकता है।

Down To Earth

Extreme Weather Events Caused Maximum Deaths in Maharasthra, Odisha & Madhya Pradesh in 2021: IMD

n 2021, extreme weather events accounted for maximum deaths in the central part of India, from Maharashtra, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director-General, Meteorology, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said on Wednesday. Apart from lightning that registered the highest number of deaths, it was flooding that was responsible for the maximum deaths in the country. "In the year 2021, the extreme weather events accounted for the maximum number of deaths in Maharashtra, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh, and the largest number of districts that were affected were in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh," Mohapatra said here during his virtual presentation at a media conclave, the Anil Agarwal Dialogue 2022, organised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The number of very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall events in June and July were higher in 2021 compared to the previous year. In June, there were 277 incidences of very heavy rainfall (between 115.6 mm and 204.5 mm) in 2021 compared to 262 in 2020 and 211 in 2019, while there were 35 incidences of extremely heavy rainfall (more than 204.5 mm) in 2021 compared to 36 in 2020 and 52 in 2019. Similarly, in July, there were 121 incidents of extremely heavy rainfall in 2021 compared to 90 in 2020 and 161 in 2019, the IMD data showed. The Western Ghats were especially vulnerable in the entire country when it came to receiving heavy and extremely heavy rainfall. Heavy rainfall and flood-related incidents reportedly claimed 750 lives, he said, adding, however, lightning and thunderstorms took 780 lives. At a session on the subject of extreme weather events and climate change, Down to Earth's Akshit Sangomla pointed out salient points from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report released two days ago. The Earth's average surface temperature rise will cross 1.5°C in the next 20 years and 2°C by the middle of the century if there is no drastic reduction in GHG emissions. "Even if emissions are brought to net-zero by the middle of the 21st century, there will be an 'overshoot' of the 1.5°C limit by 0.1°C. A scary forecast is that the Arctic is likely to become sea-ice free in September — the peak summer month — at least once before 2050," he pointed out. Professor of Environmental Sciences at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, A.P. Dimri echoed the dire warnings. "Glaciers are depleting and increasing the flow of rivers in north India. The northern sides of the country will receive more rain compared to the eastern side. Cloudburst is becoming common, and we have found that in case of a cloudburst along the foothills of the Himalayas, the precipitation goes up by 14%." Before the session, CSE Director General Sunita Narain had rung the alarm bell too. "The latest IPCC report has made it clear that the world has a small window to act to reverse the damage — climate change impacts are devastating; half the world's population is highly vulnerable to the catastrophic changes; and this will get worse, much worse."

Water Programme

The case of disappearing waterbodies

Jaichand Goswami, 47, recalls how as a child he used to take his family’s buffaloes to a pond near his house in Khichripur, east Delhi. He also remembers there used to be multiple smaller ponds in the area. Today, not a single of those waterbodies remain. Everything is either encroached upon, concretised, or polluted with sewage. “There were two boards here stating that the land belonged to the Delhi Development Authority. But now those too have been uprooted and the agencies remain apathetic,” Mr. Goswami said, pointing to a corner adjoining a cluster of tents where heaps of waste lay dumped. Delhi has as many as 1,043 identified waterbodies, which belong to 16 different authorities. According to official data available with The Hindu, 169 of them have been infringed on and destroyed. An encroached waterbody in Khichripur, next to a municipal corporation-run school, has been included in the official record for years. But it has not yet been reclaimed for rejuvenation. Of the 169 encroached waterbodies, 103 belong to the DDA, headed by the Central government-appointed Lt.-Governor. The DDA owns 836 waterbodies — the highest in the city — followed by the Revenue Department which has 131 under its ambit. Of the 836 waterbodies, the DDA has asked for deletion of 208 from the list and many of these could also be encroached upon apart from the 103 on the list, officials said. Notification process The government is in the process of notifying waterbodies that fit into the definition of “wetlands”. This will give legal protection and rejuvenate the waterbodies under the Integrated Management Plans (IMP). Wetlands are vital parts of the hydrological cycle, which support rich biodiversity and provide a wide range of ecosystem services such as water storage, water purification, flood mitigation, erosion control and microclimate regulation. The unique characteristics of wetlands help to mitigate urban floods — a major issue in Delhi – and also store floodwaters. Mr. Goswami said even when shanties started coming up in the area, several smaller ponds formed naturally following rains. But everything has been filled up with all kinds of garbage now. “When it rains heavily, the road gets flooded till the ankle and you have to wade through that murky water,” he said. Experts say Delhi has lost its wetlands due to unplanned growth and encroachment. Suresh Kumar Rohilla, director of water programme, Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi, said there were over 1,000 waterbodies in Delhi , according to a 1997 survey, but now only less than 700 are left. “There is a lot of encroachment. Earlier, there used to be one or two waterbodies in each village. Now most of them have vanished,” he said. Mr. Rohilla said that the Najafgarh lake used to be 80 sq. km. in size in 1883, as per records, but now it has shrunk to a meagre five sq. km. “The government must act to save the water bodies before we lose them all,” he said.

Down To Earth

Consider acts of your ancestors: Yadav to rich nations on climate

NEW DELHI: A day after release of the IPCC report that reaffirmed India's call for equity, climate justice and curbing unsustainable consumption as part of global adaptation efforts, environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday said the larger issue of climate change negotiation is not about give and take, but saving humanity. "The developed nations must take historical responsibility and consider what their ancestors have done in the past (in terms of carbon emission)," said Yadav in a strong message before leaving for Nairobi, Kenya to take part in the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). He was speaking at an annual conclave, organised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), at Nimli, Alwar. The UNEA is the world’s highest decision-making body on the environment. Issues flagged by the UN's intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) report, plastic pollution and several other critical environmental issues will be figured prominently during the ministerial round of the ongoing Assembly. On timeline to submit India's updated climate action plans - called nationally determined contribution (NDC) - to the UN body, Yadav hinted at possibility of its submission in October -- days ahead of the 27th session of the UN climate conference (COP27), saying the inter-ministerial consultation/process is going on for this purpose and government would take a call at an appropriate time. “India needs to act in its own self-interest. Our climate change strategy has to be based on the principle of co-benefits – we will do something for climate change because it is good for the world, but also because it is good for us. We need a low-carbon strategy for every sector; we must also ask the developed world to pay for and give us the high-cost options so that we can leapfrog," said Sunita Narain, director general, CSE at the conclave, called 'Anil Agarwal Dialogue'. Reacting to the IPCC report, India has already noted that future reports of the UN body should strengthen the “solution space” and more comprehensively assess knowledge regarding effectiveness, costs and benefits. "India firmly believes that climate change is a global collective action problem that can be solved only through international cooperation and multilateralism," said Yadav while flagging the fact the the country's cumulative and per capita current emissions are significantly low and far less than its fair share of the global carbon budget, and its actions to address global climate change are compatible with Paris Agreement goals.

Down To Earth

Deaths linked to PM2.5 pollution in India more than doubled in 2 decades: Report

The report said 4,76,000 infants died globally in their first month of life from health effects associated with air pollution exposure in 2019 Deaths attributable to PM2.5 pollution in India have increased by 2.5 times over the last two decades, according to a new report by the Centre for Science and Environment. The report released by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday said India accounted for one out of every four deaths due to air pollution in 2019. The report said 4,76,000 infants died globally in their first month of life from health effects associated with air pollution exposure in 2019. Of these, 1,16,000 deaths occurred in India.Poor air quality was the fourth leading risk factor for early death worldwide in 2019, surpassed only by high blood pressure, tobacco use and poor diet."Over the last two decades, deaths attributable to ambient PM2.5 in India has increased by 2.5 times -- from 2,79,500 in 1990 to 9,79,900 in 2019," the report read.PM2.5 refers to fine particles which penetrate deep into the body and fuel inflammation in the lungs and respiratory tract, leading to the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory problems, including a weak immune system.Deaths attributable to ozone in India has increased by 2.9 times -- from 43,200 in 1990 to 1,68,000 in 2019, it said.However, deaths due to household air pollution in the country decreased by over 40 per cent -- from 10,41,000 in 1990 to 6,06,900 in 2019, the data showed.

Down To Earth

Deaths linked to PM2.5 pollution in India increased in 2 decades'

New Delhi: Deaths attributable to PM2.5 pollution in India have increased by 2.5 times over the last two decades, according to a new report by the Centre for Science and Environment. The report released by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday said India accounted for one out of every four deaths due to air pollution in 2019. Data collated by green think-tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), and represented in its "State of India's Environment Report", showed that 6.67 million people died due to air pollution in the world. Of these, 1.67 million deaths occurred in India. China saw 1.85 million deaths due to air pollution. The report said 4,76,000 infants died globally in their first month of life from health effects associated with air pollution exposure in 2019. Of these, 1,16,000 deaths occurred in India. Poor air quality was the fourth leading risk factor for early death worldwide in 2019, surpassed only by high blood pressure, tobacco use and poor diet. "Over the last two decades, deaths attributable to ambient PM2.5 in India has increased by 2.5 times -- from 2,79,500 in 1990 to 9,79,900 in 2019," the report read. PM2.5 refers to fine particles which penetrate deep into the body and fuel inflammation in the lungs and respiratory tract, leading to the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory problems, including a weak immune system. Deaths attributable to ozone in India has increased by 2.9 times -- from 43,200 in 1990 to 1,68,000 in 2019, it said. However, deaths due to household air pollution in the country decreased by over 40 per cent -- from 10,41,000 in 1990 to 6,06,900 in 2019, the data showed.

Down To Earth

India Slips 3 Spots To Rank 120 On 17 SDG Goals

According to the Centre for Science and Environment's State of India's Environment Report, 2022, released by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday, India's rank dropped primarily because of major challenges in 11 SDGs including zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, gender equality and sustainable cities and communities India has slipped three spots from last year's 117 to rank 120 on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted as a part of the 2030 agenda by 192 United Nations member states in 2015, a new report said. With the latest rankings, India is now behind all south Asian nations except Pakistan, which stands at 129. The south Asian countries ahead of India are Bhutan ranked 75, Sri Lanka 87, Nepal 96 and Bangladesh 109. India's overall Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) score was 66 out of 100. According to the Centre for Science and Environment's State of India's Environment Report, 2022, released by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday, India's rank dropped primarily because of major challenges in 11 SDGs including zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, gender equality and sustainable cities and communities. India also performed poorly in dealing with quality education and life on land aspects, the report stated. The previous year, India had suffered on the fronts of ending hunger and achieving food security, achieving gender equality and building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and fostering innovation. On the state-wise preparedness, the report said Jharkhand and Bihar are the least prepared to meet the SDGs by the target year 2030. Kerala ranked first, followed by Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh in the second position. The third position was shared by Goa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Among the Union Territories, Chandigarh was ranked first, followed by Delhi, Lakshadweep and Puducherry in the second place and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on the third, the report said. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, was adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, which provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. There are 17 Sustainable Development Goals which are an urgent call for action by all countries in a global partnership. Some of these goals are no poverty, zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure. It also includes, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice and strong institutions and lastly strengthening global partnerships for the goals.