• Director General Office

Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Launches River Cities Alliance -A Dedicated Platform For River Cities In India To Ideate, Discuss And Exchange Information For Sustainable Management of Urban Rivers

New Delhi : Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched the River Cities Alliance, a dedicated platform for river cities in India to ideate, discuss and exchange information for sustainable management of urban rivers, here today. Thisfirst of its kind Alliance in the world symbolizes the successful partnership of the two Ministries i.e., Ministry of Jal Shakti and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The Alliance will focus on three broad themes- Networking, Capacity Building and Technical Support. The Secretariat of the Alliance will be set up at National Institute for Urban Affairs (NIUA), with NMCG’s support. The participating cities in the River Cities Alliance are Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Srinagar, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Munger, Patna, Berhampore, Hooghly-Chinsurah, Howrah, Jangipur, Maheshtala, Rajmahal, Sahibganj, Ayodhya, Bijnor, Farrukhabad, Kanpur, Mathura-Vrindavan, Mirzapur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Aurangabad, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Pune, Udaipur and Vijayawada. The Prime Minister in the meeting of the National Ganga Council held at Kanpur in December 2019, had highlighted the need for a new river centric thinking in planning for cities on the banks of rivers. “Cities should be responsible for rejuvenating their rivers. It has to be done not just with a regulatory mindset but also with a developmental and facilitatory outlook” stated the Prime Minister. Subsequently, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and National Institute for Urban Affairs (NIUA) have collaborated together to launch the River Cities Alliance (RCA). Speaking on the occasion the Union Minister said that this is an excellent initiative which will enable cities to learn from each other’s successes and failures as well as connect people with the rivers. Shri Durga Shankar Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs stated, “The River Cities Alliance can play a crucial role in connecting cities with their rivers, and that it can be a model for all cities in the Basin and beyond to emulate”. Shri Pankaj Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti stated “This Alliance will give an opportunity to municipal administrators and their teams to take path breaking initiatives and learn and inspire each other”. In his address, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General NMCG said “Although the Alliance began with the Ganga basin cities, it was extended to include cities beyond the basin as well. Thus, the work and knowledge products which will be developed under this Alliance will help cities to learn from each other and be enriched by both national and international experiences”. Shri Hitesh Vaidya, Director, NIUA said that “The River Cities Alliance is a culmination of 3 years of efforts for river sensitive development of our cities.” Ms. Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment was of the view that the idea of a River City Alliance is critical as rivers are crucial for cities. During the session, Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, along with the other dignitaries launched the River Cities Alliance video and also unveiled the Urban River Management Plan for Kanpur City. The primary objective of RCA is to provide the member cities with a platform to discuss and exchange information on aspects that are vital for sustainable management of urban rivers such as minimizing their water footprint, reducing impacts on river and water bodies, capitalizing on natural, intangible, architectural heritage and associated services and develop self-sufficient, self-sustainable water resources through recycle, reuse strategy. The Alliance cities will work towards adopting and localizing national policies and instruments with key river-related directions, prepare their Urban River Management Plans and develop city-specific sectoral strategies that are required for sustainable urban river management. The Alliance gives opportunities to these cities to strengthen governance aspects for river cities and improves their liveability to attract external economic investments, access state of the art knowledge and frameworks as well as an opportunity to serve as the site for unique demonstration projects which will be implemented by NIUA and NMCG. The 30 member cities include Haridwar, Rishikesh, Kanpur, Ayodhya, Patna, Howrah, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, etc. from Ganga basin states and Aurangabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bhubaneshwar, Pune, Udaipur, Vijayawada, etc. from non-Ganga basin states.

• Sustainable Food Systems

India’s waste management systems unfit to address the silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health threat and has become one of the greatest challenges in the efforts to fight infectious diseases. In the wake of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, which concluded today, sector experts discussed how agriculture, pharmaceutical companies and low-cost waste management technologies aid in preventing AMR containment. The World Health Organization has declared antimicrobial resistance, commonly known as AMR, as one of the top ten global public health threats facing humanity. Misuse and overuse of antimicrobials are the main drivers in the development of drug-resistant pathogens, according to the global health body. India, a global pharma giant, has a huge problem of antimicrobial resistance and experts have been warning against it. “India has a huge population and the antimicrobial resistance issue with India is quite prominent,” said Shaikh Z. Ahammad, Associate Professor at the Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology at Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. He was speaking at a webinar organised today by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). It was a part of the non-profit’s three-part webinar series to mark the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week that falls from November 18 to 24. The webinar focused on the theme of ‘environmental and prevention agenda’ and how the world can ensure that waste from food systems, pharmaceutical and manufacturing, and human health systems is effectively managed to contain AMR, and on the importance of preventive approaches. Also Read: India, a pharma super-power, must address the serious threat of antimicrobial resistance Antimicrobials – including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics – are medicines used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals, and plants. Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death. It threatens the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi, warns theWorld Health Organization (WHO). Overuse of drugs, sewage treatment plants and AMR According to a note released by CSE, antimicrobial resistance accelerates due to the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in human health, animal health, food-animal production, and crop production. Additionally, the environment plays a significant role – waste from farms, factories, community, and healthcare settings contribute to the emergency and spread of AMR through environmental routes. Talking about how the sewage treatment plants create pollution, specially in Delhi, instead of treating it and also aid in the problem of AMR, Sheikh said that the problem of antimicrobial resistance can create a double burden for the country since it is still fighting to manage commercial pollutants like sewage and is yet to create infrastructure do deal with it. India has a huge population and the antimicrobial resistance issue with India is quite prominent. Representational photo. Also Read: Environment ministry quashes limits for discharge of antibiotic residue in water bodies “Because of a huge population we use a lot of water for survival. Additionally, we generate almost 40 million liters of sewage everyday, apart from industrial water. Sewage is creating a significant impact on the environment. In a case study where we focused on Delhi, we found that while the sewage treatment plants do several good things for the environment, however with respect to AMR, most of the treatment plants work like a harbouring station. They increase the pollution rather than treating it,” he said. AMR and agriculture In his presentation, Ed Topp, Principal Research Scientist, Environmental Microbiology and Chemistry, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada stated that large amounts of antibiotics are used for prevention, therapy, and in some jurisdictions growth promotion as well. AMR can be transmitted through food chains whereas waste streams can do so to the environment. In many lower-income settings, households that reside in close proximity to animals may have concerns of direct exposure to AMR through those animals, Topp noted. “Microbial use is contributing to AMR food production systems and in one health context, that is of concern both from environmental dimension and the health dimension,” Topp said. Also Read: The growing menace of antibiotic pollution by pharma hubs needs urgent attention He called for reducing antimicrobial use where possible through stewardship practices wherever alternatives make sense so that individual animals can be treated and not held in herds. “A big challenge that we have in this sphere is source attribution, so clearly pointing the picture from food or environmental matrix into humans is a challenge,” he added. WHO had listed lack of clean water and sanitation and inadequate infection prevention and control promoted the spread of microbes, some of which can be resistant to antimicrobial treatment. For representation purpose only. AMR and waste from farms and factories The three antimicrobial resistance determinants identified by Rajeshwari Sinha, programme manager at the Food Safety Programme of CSE, included antibiotic residues, resistant bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes that travel across multiple sectors. She also noted that the nature of waste and AMR determinants vary across sectors and local contexts. Talking about the inter-sectorial transmission also takes place in AMR, she said “Waste from animal farms particularly poultry, dairy, fish as well as crop farms form a huge component of agriculture fertilizer and contribute to making the soil fertile for raising crops. At the same time, it’s used to feed fish, mushroom farming. Waste from dairy farms finds its way into useful components in agriculture. Thus, within each sector, there can be inter-sectoral happening which adds to the reservoir of AMR determinants.” Also Read: Antimicrobial resistance could possibly become next public health crisis: Experts It’s important to note that WHO had listed lack of clean water and sanitation and inadequate infection prevention and control promoted the spread of microbes, some of which can be resistant to antimicrobial treatment. Sinha also noted that there was very limited on-the-ground progress – lack of dedicated funding within the overall limited funds for AMR, limited know-how and capacity due to absence of global guidance, complexity and cross-cutting nature of the issue. In her presentation, she also highlighted that the environmental AMR issue is so far dependent on surveillance which is resource-intensive and technically demanding. A few of her recommendations included prioritising and investing in the environmental AMR agenda from both a global and national level and focusing on prevention at farms, biosecurity, clean water, alternatives, good animal husbandry practices, and vaccination.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

While spotlight’s on Delhi, smaller northern towns often fare worse in air quality

Agra, Firozabad, Vrindavan had higher pollution levels than national capital after Deepavali; experts call for focus on areas beyond NCR too An analysis of air quality data by The Hindu shows that Agra, Firozabad, and Vrindavan were more polluted than Delhi during the week after Deepavali. However, during this period, the media attention and actions were concentrated more on Delhi and the NCR. While Delhi was among the top 10 most polluted cities for three out of seven days, Agra, Firozabad, and Vrindavan were part of the list for four days, as per the air quality index (AQI) data of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Also, the average daily AQI of these three places is more than that of the national Capital. On some days, other non-NCR districts such as Kaithal and Kanpur made it to the top 10 list and were more polluted than Delhi. Interestingly, Delhi was never among the top five polluted cities in the country during this week. The Supreme Court ordered actions have also been mainly for the Delhi-NCR, which is monitored by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and Adjoining Areas. For instance, despite the high pollution, schools were not closed or construction activities were not banned in Agra, Firozabad or Vrindavan after Deepavali, officials said. However, on November 13, these actions were taken in Delhi after the Supreme Court pulled up the State and Central Governments earlier that day. Also, Delhi and the NCR have a Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), according to which, different actions kick in as per levels of air pollution. But no such plan exists for areas beyond the NCR. Most polluted From November 5-11, the average daily AQI of Delhi was 414.8, while Vrindavan’s was 438.14, Agra’s 429.85, and Firozabad’s 437.6. On November 9, Delhi was not part of the top 10 polluted places, and there were four non-NCR districts in the top 10 and Firozabad was the most polluted place in the country. Similarly, on November 10, Agra was the most polluted place in the country. Delhi has 39 air quality monitoring stations, while Agra has six and Vrindavan and Firozabad have only one each. “It is not that we are not giving attention to these cities. These three cities are also part of the 132 cities which are covered by the NCAP (National Clean Air Programme),” a CPCB official said. About smaller cities witnessing higher pollution compared to Delhi, the official said that though meteorological conditions of Delhi and these places are similar, local factors could be behind the higher AQI. Attention needed Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of Centre for Science and Environment, a research and advocacy NGO, said that during winter, the natural ventilation of the entire Indo Gangetic Plains (IGP), which stretches from Punjab and touches the boundaries of West Bengal, is constrained and pollutants get trapped. This is due to a drop in temperature, wind speed and the height up to which pollutants can be dispersed in the atmosphere. “A big chunk of the IGP is affected by stubble burning also. Because of these factors, several cities and sub-regions that are outside the NCR, but within the IGP, are more polluted than even Delhi during winter. But the annual average pollution of these places could be lower than Delhi,” Ms. Roychowdhury said. “Delhi gets an undue importance as initial cases on air pollution were filed about the Delhi-NCR in the Supreme Court. Because of the court orders, the region got focus,” she added. But Ms. Roychowdhury said that the Government should pay more attention to the entire IGP for pollution mitigation, as the entire region is more vulnerable to high pollution. “The NCAP is for 132 cities. The Government should implement NCAP at district and State levels and take into consideration rural areas too, instead of just focusing on cities,” she said.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

What happens to your body when you breathe in polluted air | In Focus podcast

Every year in November and December, the residents of Delhi and the National Capital Region, find it hard to breathe. Toxic air chokes the lungs, doctors advise people to avoid outdoor walks and runs, hospital outpatient services overflow with people facing respiratory problems, and there is a call for emergency measures to bring the air quality index down from severe to satisfactory. Meteorological conditions such as cold air and a drop in wind speeds combine with the year-long emanation of pollutants into the air from industries, vehicles, construction as well as stubble smoke, along with festive firecrackers -- and together they contribute to the noxious air that prevails across the Indo-Gangetic plain at this time of the year. What happens to your lungs and body when you breathe in polluted air on a daily basis? How does this impact our health long term? Where does India stand in its pollution levels compared to the rest of the world? And what urgent action can governments take to protect, and help provide cleaner air for future generations? We speak on this and more in this episode. Guest: Vivek Chattopadhyaya, Sr Program Manager, Clean Air and Sustainable Mobility of the Centre for Science and Environment

• Climate Change and Green Economy

Glasgow Pact lacks teeth as climate finance takes a backseat

Without helping poor and low income countries with grants -- and not loans -- the world cannot think of tackling the challenge of climate change effectively When foreign minister of Tuvalu, an island nation, stood in knee-deep seawater to deliver his speech to COP26, he was making a very important statement. Minister Simon Kofe was warning the world of the impending catastrophe for hundreds of small nations like his, which could get submerged, if climate change was not taken seriously and acted upon. The parameters for climate action sound simple: cut carbon and methane emissions, reduce deforestation, save biodiversity and aggressively promote renewable energy. What gets missed out though is: Who is supposed to do this and to what extent? If it is a collective responsibility then can all nations – high income and low income – be treated using the same yardstick? Can a country like the US, with per capita income of $66,000, share the same responsibility towards protecting the environment as Bangladesh, which has a per capita income of just $5,000? In part III of our COP26 Impact series, we look at Climate Finance, a loosely put word with no proper definition, which united low and middle income countries (LMIC) at the Glasgow climate summit to tell developed countries to loosen their purse strings and create a level-playing field for a just fight against climate change. At UN climate summit in Copenhagen (2009), rich countries promised to channel US$100 billion every year to poor and developing countries by 2020. This fund was supposed to be given to these struggling economies to make effective plans so as to stop the global temperature from rising above 1.5 degrees Celsius of the pre-industrial levels. The promise was all but broken. Not only have the developed countries failed to provide US$100 billion a year, but at Glasgow they agreed to disagree on mobilising US$600 billion worth of climate finance for the period 2021-25. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental organisation mostly comprising rich countries, claims that the rich nations contributed $80 billion in climate finance to developing countries in 2019, up from $78 billion in 2018 and $37.9 billion in 2013. What the report doesn’t say is that the bulk of this funding came in the form of repayable loans and not grants. Some of the funds were even given for purposes like clean drinking water and education, which do not directly contribute to climate change measures. This confusion prevails mainly because the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has put all funds (loans, grants etc.) under the same umbrella. Basically, nobody knows what ‘Climate Finance’ actually constitutes. Besides, there are discrepancies in the numbers quoted by rich countries. For example, OECD claims climate finance of $62 billion was made available in 2014, but the Ministry of Finance in India said the actual number was only $1 billion. At the Glasgow summit (October 31 to Nov 12), developed countries like the UK were hyper-excited about striking a “deal for a better future”, but like-minded developing countries (LMDC) like India were keen to extract their pound of flesh before the glorified Glasgow Pact would take shape. Neither the rich countries nor the poor ones got what they precisely were aiming for, except for a promising start. Frustration of low and middle income countries COP26 took off on a high note with several countries, including India, committing their net zero emission targets. But as the talks progressed, the frustration of emerging economies became palpable. “Mr. President, all we hear in the negotiations’ rooms, corridors and statements is ambition, ambition, ambition [for mitigation, adaptation, and means of implementation]. However, there does not seem to be any appetite from our partners to unleash ambition when it comes to the decisions which we have seen through the first week of COP26, [like climate finance],” said the low and middle income countries (LMDCs) in a statement. India too called for setting up “new collective goal” that reflect upon the provisions and mobilization of climate finance. The first draft on Long Term Finance was rejected by a majority of countries for the simple reason that it lacked a commonly agreed upon definition of climate finance. The revised draft too proved inconclusive as the president of COP26 pushed the idea of a draft proposal on climate finance to COP27, to be held in Egypt next November. The developing nations were clearly unhappy with the use of words in the Glasgow draft document like “urging”, “calling” and “inviting”, saying these words are not strong enough when the world requires concrete action to tackle climate change. The $1 trillion demand As the negotiations for financing opened, emerging countries needed a number to start the talks with. On Day 3 of COP26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India expects developed countries to make USD 1 trillion available as climate finance as soon as possible. This figure of $1 trillion was latched upon by low and middle income countries to propose that the developed countries should provide them at least $1.3 trillion per year between 2025 and 2030. The rich nations, however, refused to commit on a number, suggesting formation of a two-member committee (with a representative from each side) to discuss “a new collective quantified goal”. Thus, they succeeded once again in fizzling out any attempt to commit on delivering the required finance. “COP26 was non-committal on incremental finance right from the beginning. The most opaque part of the climate discussion has been the finance component. So India took a stand against phasing out coal and instead remained firm on phasing down coal usage,” says Samrat Sengupta, programme director, Climate Change and Energy at the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi. Passing the buck As things stand today, the $100-billion climate finance goal looks like a mirage with no agreement among member countries as to how much each rich country should contribute. The US, which had stepped out of the 2015 Paris Agreement under Donald Trump, has emerged as the biggest defaulter. A report suggests that Uncle Sam should have contributed about 50% of the $100 billion fund, mainly on account of its richness, historical emissions and demography. Unfortunately, the country’s average annual contribution between 2016 and 2018 was a meagre $7.6 billion. On the other hand, Sweden, Japan and France gave more than what they should have, though most of the funds they provided were in the form of repayable loans and not grants. “Most developed countries, except a few like Sweden and Japan, have defaulted on their commitment to $100 billion yearly climate finance. However, this issue was being repeatedly sidelined in COP26. The developed countries need to remedy this at the earliest for preparing a larger climate finance goal post 2025,” said Priyadarshini Karve, national convener, Indian Network on Ethics and Climate Change (INECC). ‘Cheap’ finance today will avoid ‘expensive’ mitigation cost tomorrow Spending crores of rupees on rebuilding lives and cities after a devastating flood TOMORROW is much costlier than spending on measures to prevent flooding TODAY. Prevention is better than cure, isn’t it? Also read: COP26: India polishes its climate reputation at Glasgow In 2021 alone, the Government of India spent Rs 30,000 crore on dealing with the aftermath of natural disasters! “Climate finance should get priority because the cost of mitigation efforts is far, far higher than the cost of financing,” says Dr Gurudas Nulkar, an economist turned ecologist, who recently prepared a report on damages caused to natural, human, man-made and financial resources due to cyclones. Developed countries aren’t giving enough finance to poor countries to fight climate change because they haven’t made a budgetary allocation where money could be reserved for preventing floods, say in the next 10 years. “Developed countries never budget for protecting natural resources. They even fail to quantify risks. And if risks cannot be quantified then on what basis will the budgets be allocated?” says Dr Nulkar. Today, countries look at natural calamities only in terms of loss to life and property. Do they think how a flood, for instance, impacts the life of an average farmer who lost his crop and cattle or a poor fisherman whose boat got wrecked? A one-time compensation of a few lakh rupees cannot bring back the self-respect, confidence and fruits reaped after years of penance.

• Sustainable Mobility

Scrapping of old diesel vehicle begins in Delhi: The regulations, players, and its implications

Gadkari announced the scrappage policy that it is a government funded programme to get rid of the old vehicles off the roads which is done to reduce pollution, create employment and also to increase demand for new vehicles The Delhi government announced its new policy to scrap all 15-year-old diesel vehicles in Delhi and the NCR six months after Minister for Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Nitin Gadkari introduced the new vehicle scrappage scheme in the Lok Sabha. Delhi Transport Commissioner Ashish Kundra stated, “Diesel vehicles older than 15 years will be impounded and sent to the scrapping yard if they are found plying on city roads or parked in public places.” Gadkari announced the scrappage policy that it is a government funded programme to get rid of the old vehicles off the roads. This is done to reduce pollution, create employment and also to increase demand for new vehicles. Old vehicles are used immensely in India according to a report made by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The report that is 74-page titled “What to do with old vehicles? Towards effective scrappage policy and infrastructure,” states that a joint study by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and German agency GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft fer Internationale) in 2016 had almost estimated that more than 87 lakh vehicles had reached their end-of-life (ELV) status already in 2015. The ELV numbers is likely to be nearly 2.18 crore (two-wheelers account for almost 80% of this) by 2025. The National Scrappage Policy that was announced on 1st October laid down in the timeline has laid down certain rules for fitness testing and scrapping centres: Fitness testing for government and Public Sector Undertaking (PSUs) vehicles will likely have to be completed by April 1st, 2022. Fitness test for heavy commercial vehicles will likely have to be completed April 1st, 2023. Fitness test rules are to be rolled out for other categories by June 1st, 2024. Incentives will be announced for scrapping old vehicles and buying new ones. “The implementation of the scrappage policy will foster a circular economy and help achieve energy security, road safety, better environment and facilitate secondary material usage in the system,” stated by Prashant K Banerjee who is the Executive Director of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) at a webinar on ‘Vehicle Scrappage Policy 2021: Its Features and Implementation Planning’. SIAM which is an umbrella body of auto companies has suggested that the government will also provide incentives to car owners who plan to scrap their 15-year-old vehicles. “The policy has the potential to generate 35,000 jobs, while saving maintenance cost for customers and manufacturing cost for OEMs,” further added by Amit Varadan who is the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways which is one of the important architects of the policy. “From April 1st, 2023, heavy commercial vehicles will be mandated to undergo test at authorised fitness testing centres,” explained by Varadan. “Other commercial vehicles will be mandated to undergo test from August 1st, 2023. We are proposing 70-100 fitness testing centres be set-up all over the country”. Whereas, the CSE report which is authored by AnumitaRoychowdhury and Vivek Chattopadhyaya, Shourabh Gupta, Swagata Dey and Akshat Jain stated that it is mostly evident in Delhi where fixing the age of diesel vehicles has brought down the resale value of these certain vehicles which will result in more junk being created. “The problem is in other parts of the country and there is a possibility that vehicles may have been moved out of the capital,” stated by Vivek Chattopadhyaya. Proposed by centre, disposed by Delhi The government of Delhi has now enrolled eight scrappers which has been set up on the Delhi Transport Department’s website. “We get about 70 to 80 diesel and petrol vehicles daily and also two-wheelers,” stated by S Arora who is the chairman of Pineview Technology which is one of the enrolled eight companies. “The money from scrapping will be given to the vehicle owner,” further added by Kundra. The department has put out a notice regarding this matter which further simplifies the terms and conditions of the new policy. For example, as per the policy old vehicles which clear emission and several other tests will be able to operate. Also, the notice makes it very clear that all provisions are not of the Centre’s policy which will be applicable in Delhi-NCR. For example, the notice of Delhi government states that diesel vehicles over the age of 10 years and petrol vehicles over the ages of 15 years old which do not pass the fitness test are not allowed on Delhi-NCR roads; they are “liable to be impounded and invite necessary penal action under Motor Vehicles Act, 1988” due to the region’s dangerous levels of air pollution. The roadworthiness certificate or the vehicle fitness certificate for brand new private vehicles is only valid for 15 years and then needs to be re-registered or renewed every five years thereafter, according to the 2021 complete guide to get RTO Vehicle Fitness certificate. For commercial vehicles, the vehicle fitness certificate is valid for a period of two years for new vehicles and renewed every year thereafter The network that is informal The main objective of the policy as stated by the CSE report is to minimize the environmental footprint of used and junk vehicles and dilapidated vehicles. This needs maximum recovery of material to be reused, raise in the recovery of material that is recyclable, and a reduction in the use of material that are harmful for the environment. This requires not only a strong waste recycling and recovery system in turn but also cooperation from the manufacturers to make sure that materials that are not friendly to the environment are not used and a targeted maximum recovery of material is met, added in the report. This needs a regular mandate for the automobile industry to reduce the use of heavy metals, rubbers, and plastic. And which when used are marked enough for recycling. The report also adds that there already exists an extensive countrywide network that is informal of dealers who collect as well as dismantle old vehicles to take out material. Almost all the scrapyards of automobile in the nation are managed by the semi-formal and informal sector. A huge number of vehicles are scrapped and stripped in informal clusters that have also become main hubs for scrap metal and other sorts of refurbished and recovered automobile parts. This is common mostly in all big cities in India. Chintan which is a non-government organization working for the rights and welfare of people who are engaged in informal recycling, regulated a fact-finding which found that almost more than 3000 such units operate within Delhi in 2015. The informal sector mainly consists of dismantlers, traders, recyclers, and scrap dealers. The Chintan study states that this informal sector is immensely specialized. Few of the crucial challenges that the informal ELV market now faces is space crunch which poses a significant obstacle in expansion of the business. This sector also has limited access to technical as well as financial assistance. he Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises (MoHIPE) has formed a Global Automotive Research Centre (GARC) under the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP) as a demonstration centre at Oragadam near Chennai. CERO-Mahindra MSTC Recycling Pvt. Ltd is another automobile dismantling and recycling unit in Delhi-NCR (Greater Noida). This is certainly a joint venture between Mahindra Accelo and Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited where each party have a 50% sake. Tata and Toyota too are joining the unravel. Safeguards of the environment: unbalanced responsibility? These plants will certainly have to follow the guidelines related to scrapping that has been issues by the Central Pollution Control Board. The guidelines, among other stuffs, specify that the scrap yards must have a maximum are of 1000 square yards and be made to remove liquid gas tanks and batteries to neutralize potential components that are explosive such as air bags, and also to remove and collect fluids separately, oils, coolants, anti-freeze, brake fluids etc. Also, they should be capable to remove catalytic converters and also extract metals and dispose of non-reusable material without causing any damage to the environment. Now, the volume of dismantling in the centres low as it is concerned mostly about competition from the informal sector that has low costs. As a matter of fact, even when government departments would like to scarp their vehicles, in their tender process the informal sector has a certain advantage as they can quote higher prices. The story of DTC Even as the Government of Delhi launched its step to clear the capital’s road of diesel vehicles that are overaged, ironically, a report showed that the state government run Delhi Transport Corporation’s (DTC) entire fleet of 3760 buses is “overage” and way past their ‘use-by’ date as no procurement of new buses has happened since 2008. According to one estimate, 99% of the DTC buses have surpassed the limit for low-floor CNG buses. A bus is seen as ‘overage’ when it stays in operation for more than 8 years. As per Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), a low-floor CNG bus is permitted to run for a maximum of 12 years or 7.5 lakh km. The JNNURM report says that “only 32 buses are 8-10 years old while a whopping 3072 buses are 10-12 years old.” Almost more than 656 buses on the roads of Delhi are older than the maximum limit of being operated of 12 years. DTC is asked to maintain a fleet of 5,500 buses but the recent strength is only 3,760 buses. The government of Delhi in 2018 had presented an affidavit in the Delhi High Court asking that the city needs 11,000 buses. The DTC was able to approve tender last for new buses in 2008. 5 new tenders were floated between the time of 2013 and 2019 but nothing could be finalized due to stringent Annual maintenance contracts (AMCs). Abiding by the new rules on diesel vehicles in Delhi, the whole DTC fleet needs to be scrapped. But the number of scrapped buses has been almost negligible. Two buses were only scrapped in 2020-2021 and none this year. About 80 buses were taken out between 2019 to 2020 whereas 2209 vehicles were taken out between 2011 to 2017. DTC’s Managing Director Vijay Bhaduristates that the pressing need to add new buses as the expenditure is increasing on maintaining old buses. “Even as we are running overaged buses, we cannot compromise on safety and have to keep the buses in their best possible condition, which is an expensive affair,” stated by Bhaduri. “The State Transport Authority (STA) has now allowed use of overage buses upto 15 years (almost double of the prescribed operational limit) and has given DTC a 2-3 year window to replace the entire fleet”. Now the new plan is to revive the DTC by adding almost 1,300 new buses in the coming seven months. It is welcome and if it happens, as the DTC solely carries one million riders everyday than the Delhi metro network does. Meanwhile, the government of Delhi approved the induction of 190 low-floor CNG propelled air-conditioned buses on November 5th which would start to arrive in the upcoming year.

• Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy

Roadmap for EPR implementation in India Through Secured Governance

The first is recycling or re-processing different categories of plastic waste into secondary material. The second is the incineration of plastic waste. However, incineration is expensive and causes pollution if not done using the right equipment Plastic was first invented in 1907 and given that it was cheaper and more convenient than other materials, it soon found use in varied ways in our daily lives. Today, plastic is present in almost everything, from our money to electronic appliances, and it is used across multiple sectors, including packaging, building, construction, transportation, industrial machinery and health among others. However, the lack of sustainable plastic waste management (PWM) poses a serious threat to our environment and natural ecosystem globally. Data indicates that while a large quantum of plastic waste is generated, low levels of it are sustainably-managed and discarded worldwide. From 1950 to 2015, around 8.3 billion metric tonnes (BMTs) of plastic had been produced globally, and of this, 80% – 6.3BMTs – was accounted as plastic waste. Of these 6.3 BMTs of waste, only 9% was recycled, 12% incinerated and 79% dumped into landfills,oceans or waterbodies. There are two primary ways to manage plastic waste. The first is recycling or re-processing different categories of plastic waste into secondary material. The second is the incineration of plastic waste. However, incineration is expensive and causes pollution if not done using the right equipment. Challenges concerning plastic waste Plastic waste has numerous implications on the environment and health.The plastic waste dumped in landfills leaches into the ground and nearby water systems causing land and water pollution and ultimately reaches the food chain. The uncontrolled burning of the waste, including plastic, causes air pollution. In addition, the clogged plastic waste in the sewerage system further pollutes rivers and groundwater. The plastic in food and water can cause severe health issues such as genetic disorders, and endocrine system damage. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, all the plastic waste ever generated is still present on Earth today, this makes sustainable management of plastic waste important. Single-use Plastic India pledged to phase out Single use plastics by 2022, as per the announcement made by Hon PM of India on World Environment Day hosted by India on 5th June 2018.The Plastic Waste Management Rules, amended in 2021, define single–use plastic as plastic item intended to be used once for the same purpose before being disposed of or recycled.The United Nations defines single-use plastics, often referred to as disposable plastics, as being commonly used for plastic packaging, including items intended to be used only once before being thrown away or recycled. These include grocery bags, food packaging, bottles, straws, containers, cups and cutlery. Single-use plastic is the most popular kind of plastic due to its easy access and high use. While it is cheap,strong and hygienic for transporting goods, it is the most difficult to recycle.Plastic carry bags are produced using less energy and water and generate less solid waste than paper bags as they take up less space in landfills.These salient features of single-use plastics make it a preferred material in commercial use. The adverse impacts of single-use plastic have created an alarming situation across the globe with a call for countries to make commitments against plastic pollution. The management of single-use plastic waste requires using an integrated model that focuses on minimizing plastic waste generation, improving waste management through improved collection services, a recycling industry and ensuring the safe disposal of waste to controlled (scientific) landfills. To do this, the model should focus on adopting a circular economy approach that looks at recycling good quality plastics and different ways of minimizing the production and usage of single-use plastic including plastic bags and Styrofoam. Though single use plastics have been banned it is interesting to note that the same were widely used in the days of pandemic and have to be disposed of efficiently and not littered. Environmental, health and economic impact of plastic waste Plastic waste recycling In India, the Plastic Waste Management Rules of 2016 and 2018 and the recently announced amendment of 2021 focus on single-use plastics. The rules detail the various categories of plastics and recommend recycling methods based on the type of plastic polymer used.According to a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report titled ‘Managing Plastic Waste in India’, the plastic in polystyrene (PS) and other categories are nonrecyclable and a threat to the environment. In addition, industries generating plastic waste, commonly known as pre-consumer waste, need as much attention as post-consumer waste. Various manufacturing industries across the globe produce400 million tonnes of plastic waste per year, with the packaging industry being the largest contributor. According to a report by FICCI, 40 percent of the packaging needs in India are fulfilled using plastic. The Plastic Waste Management Rules,2016 and 2018, mention the extended producer responsibility (EPR) approach,which gives producers substantial responsibility (financial and/or physical) for the treatment and disposal of post-consumer plastic waste. Types of Plastics For sustainable PWM, all stakeholders from the private and public sectors,communities andother organizations need to adopt the circular economy approach, thereby reducing and offsetting the plastic waste going into landfills and posing serious threats to our environment,economy, and health. The next section will look at the conceptual framework of the circular economy,including the business case for the plastic waste sector and enablers and barriers in India for this concept. Conceptual framework of a circular economy Since the second industrial revolution, our economy has been linear, working on take-make-use-dispose principles. On the one hand, this has resulted in increased economic benefits and prosperity, but on the other hand, it hasalso led to the overuse of resources by promoting a ‘use-and-throw’ approach.According to the Circular Gap Report 2021, 100 billion tonnes of different materials enter the Earth every year. This model not only leads to environment degradation and resource depletion, but it also increases the cost of products by disturbing the material supply system. This results from fluctuating raw material prices, low materials availability, geopolitical dependence on different materials and increasing demand.To address this issue, we need to focus on resource efficiency by adopting a circular economy. The circular economy is defined as an alternative to the linear ‘take-make-waste’ approach. It seeks to design out waste, regenerate natural ecosystems and keep materials and products in use for as long as possible. To this end, resources are not consumed and discarded, destroying their value. Rather, their value is retained by reusing, repairing, remanufacturing, or recycling.The circular economy entails new business models, strategies and innovations focusing on the optimization of processes and products. Adopting a circular economy results in extended life of products and assets by recycling/upcycling end-of -life products and closing the loop. Enablers and barriers to circular economy in India In the Indian context, a circular economy can play a significant role in achieving environmental goals at the national and international levels, promoting sustainable ways to do business and limiting the over-extraction of natural resources.The Indian Government has taken steps to mandate EPR under the Plastic WasteManagement Rules 2016. EPR incorporates circularity by making producers responsible for the collection and processing of a product till the end of its life. Organizations and industries are partnering with government stakeholders to implement integrated models focusing on a circular economy. In addition, to support the circular economy, emphasis has been laid on drafting policies and missions such as the Swachh Bharat Mission and Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, which focus on recycling resources.For economies across the globe, adopting a circular economy can help achieve various sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) directly or indirectly. SDGs linkages through effective plastic waste management in a city A plastic waste revolution (a case study in India) In Bhopal, ULBs in partnership with a local organization, have been working with waste collectors since 2008 to streamline plastic waste collection and sales to recyclers. The organization initially developed a sustainable integrated waste management system for five wards in Bhopal, which served as a model for the creation of a PWM policy at the state level in2011. This model, now known as the ‘Bhopal model’, has been replicated in all states across India (and even onwards to Bangladesh). This innovative model recycles and processes plastic and reuses it in the construction of roads, benefiting over two million people. Waste pickers collect and hand over plastic waste to collection centres runby the Bhopal Municipal Corporation. The plastic waste is scanned and segregated, and most single-use plastics – which comprise half of all the plastic in this waste stream – are shredded and baled. The bales are then taken for co-processing at cement kilns or used to build roads. It’s a win-win situation: for waste-collectors – one of the more vulnerable communities in Indian society – because it doubles their wages and ensures that something useful is done with the plastic litter. In 2010,in close collaboration with the Bhopal Municipal Corporation, UNDP’sSmall Grants Project (SGP) provided an initial grant that enabled a local organization to conduct focused interventions in five wards. Part of the interventions included organizing waste pickers into SHGs. In 2014, the local organization was awarded another SGP grant to mobilize more than 2,000unorganized waste pickers in 70 wards of Bhopal Municipal Corporation. Lending legitimacy A crucial element of the project’s success was the organization’s partnership with the ULBs and local industries. Through the SHGs, the waste collectors– many of whom are socially marginalized and illiterate women – were organized and trained in waste collection and recycling activities.The majority of these waste collectors have been provided with municipal identity cards and uniforms through this project. While improving their livelihoods and protecting the environment, these women contributed approximately 10 tonnes of plastic waste collected at five recovery centres in Bhopal every day, which was recycled by cement industries in and around the city. By the end of 2016, 646 waste pickers in Bhopal were organised into 42 SHGs.More than 60 percent of these waste pickers are women, who earn a daily living from selling plastic waste. Forty members from the various SHGs have also been trained in making bags out of used polythene, which are sold in exhibitions across India. The success of the Bhopal project led to the establishment of a pilot plastic recovery centre in Indore, and as a result, 3,500 waste pickers were organized intoSHGs. In addition, given the occupational hazards involved, the local organization also conducted regular health camps, and over 850 waste collectors are now enrolled in health insurance schemes. From waste collection to waste recovery By collaborating with local government bodies, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation allocated 230m of land for waste collection centres. The Madhya Pradesh PollutionControl Board facilitated waste transportation to cement kilns, and the BhopalMunicipal Corporation provided 850 cycle rickshaws to the local organization to enable easier waste collection. In 2014, five plastic waste collection centres in Bhopal were upgraded to plastic waste recovery centres. This included fitting the centres with plastic shredders,compressor scrap baling machines, and other necessary machinery. The centres facilitated by the local organizations and managed by the women SHGs.Approximately 10 tonnes of plastic waste are collected at these centres everyday. Around 45 tonnes of plastic waste is sold to cement industries in and around Bhopal to be used as fuel in the furnaces. Around 60 tonnes of plastic waste is sold to the Madhya Pradesh Rural Road Development Authority every month to be used in road construction. On the road One of the most environmentally sensitive and economically useful means of repurposing plastic waste is using it in roadmaking. Higher-grade polyethylene is baled and sent to cement plants to be used as alternate fuel. These are non-recyclable plastics and can burn with coal at temperatures >1,300°C. In collaboration with the local organizations, the SHGs in Bhopal, who manage the plastic recovery centres, constitute small enterprises via the sales of processed plastic wastes to recyclers, road construction agencies and cement factories.Roads made with mixed plastic are highly durable due to their high resistance to water, which is significant for a region with an extended monsoon. Self-sustainability of project The self-sustainability of the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) model is a key component for the successful implementation of plastic waste management in a city. The financial availability and profitability of the model play an important role in the success of this model in the long run. For the self-sustainability of the model, the following components need to be considered: Funding for an initial period of approximately five to six years, including the cost of setting up the MRF, manpower costs and other one-time expenses. Allocation of land, machinery, initial support for power and water charges and waste transportation from the Dry Waste Collection Centres(DWCCs). International agencies such as the UNDP, GIZ, UNIDO and ADB to facilitate linkages with banks for extending payments to waste pickers for Plastic Waste Management (PWM). Linkages with recycling units to create a market-driven and profitable model to achieve self-sustainability. A city will achieve financial sustainability in approximately five to six years if a dedicated amount of waste is processed and sold at feasible rates. Additionally, financial and infrastructure support is to be provided for setting up MRFs. ZERO-WASTE CITY: SURABAYA, INDONESIA LEADS THE WAY WITH WASTE BANKS (a case study in outside India) Surabaya is the second-largest city in Indonesia and is situated in the eastern part of Java Island. The city generates 1,512 tonnes of solid waste per day, of which (57 percent) is organic waste, and (16 percent) is plastic waste.17 In 2001,Surabaya peaked at 2,000 tons of solid waste generation in a day. At the same time, one of the city’s landfills – Kpeutih – was also shut down, leading to massive littering on the streets. This was a turning point in the history of the city. In 2004, the city government prepared itself for the long fight against the menace of solid waste and laid down an action plan. Surabaya launched a 3 Rs(reduce, reuse, and recycle) community-based waste management programme,also known as the Surabaya Green and Clean campaign. The campaign focused on educating citizens on waste management, planting trees and saving energy.The primary challenge for the city government was to promote source segregation amongst households. The city government collaborated with Japan-based Kitakyushu International Techno-cooperative Association (KITA), who worked with the city government to introduce quick, low-tech and inexpensive means of household composting. This pushed households to start segregating the waste at source. By 2009, more than 20,000 households started practicing household composting and 21 composting centres were established. The model reduced waste generation by 30 percent. To ensure the sustainability and implementation of the campaign,the Surabaya City government recruited approximately 420 facilitators and 28,000environmental cadres to manage their community-based waste management initiatives. The campaign also included neighborhoods competitions in which the communities were judged based on cleanliness, tree plantation and waste-management efforts. Complementing this was Surabaya’s other impactful initiative of installing ‘waste banks,’ which started in 2009. The waste banks initiative was launched under the Surabaya Clean and Green campaign to manage dry waste. It functions like a formal bank system, and the savings are not financial but dry waste. The depository waste undergoes a weighing process, and accordingly, payment is made to the account holder. The waste bank is not just an environmental initiative but is also an economic model. Citizens are paid to sort the waste at the source, and this ensures their participation in the city’s waste management process. The waste collected by the bank is further sold to large aggregators or recyclers, who use it to make other recycled materials. The model of the waste bank has ensured an increase in the informal sector income.As of today, the city has maintained sustainability of its models via various innovative strategies. The city’s transportation system has been adapted to reduce plastics.Bus units in Surabaya allow people to pay their fares using plastic bottles. EXISTING CHALLENGES TO FOSTER PLASTICS CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN INDIA Segregation of waste at source and segregated collection, especially in rural areas, is non-existent; Unorganized, informal mechanical recycling, with leakages and emissions; Mixed input streams and ‘pure’ recyclate types of plastic having large variation in additives; Chemical recycling requiring large investments; Occupational & health safety hazards linked with waste collection (for women and children in particular) and in recycling, such as release of dioxins linked to cancer and reproductive problems; Lack of strict enforcement of waste collection and disposal; Open dumping and clogging of drains with plastic waste is still prevalent; Lack of investment and funding to set up proper waste management infrastructure including operational costs of transporting waste for reprocessing; Lack of market-based instruments and regulatory measures for effective functioning of business models; Economically challenging to set up standard prices of plastic waste as raw material and market for recycled products; Most plastic reprocessed only once as plastic resins degrade in quality every time it is re-heated; Lack of corporation between stakeholders across the plastics value chain; Awareness and knowledge gaps; EPR implementation is more like a CSR initiative. Self – Sustained Economic growth through Secured Governance “Secured Governance offers a strategy for the government to get all the basic infrastructure development with a negligible investment by the Government. It is a concept of developing Techno Economic Corridors connecting HUBs which will act as growth centre for individual sectors. The very concept of “Secured’’ here implies a secured convergence or knitting with various sectors defining a growth for an economy.” Secured Governance – A Holistic Approach to Infrastructure Development Secured Governance is a concept that is catching the attention of many as a holistic approach to infrastructure needs, promising a great deal. It professes taking advantage of valuation of assets created and delivering at negligible cost to the government. It aims at balanced growth in all sectors in need of better facilities, in a more holistic manner, rather than focusing only on say expressways, or power or any one of numerous other sectors. While addressing any one of them, the others also get due attention ensuring all round development. It promises more societal participation and benefit sharing with transparency. Underlying this is a strategy of developing techno-economic corridors connecting urban areas across the country. Secured Governance advocates a pragmatic approach of taking Advantage of Valuation of Assets Created This is not new. We all know when development takes place there is valuation in property. Who benefits from this? Often it is incidental and taken advantage off by land and property sharks. Imagine a model where this valuation can be ploughed back into the project and benefit the people around. First the cost of the project is reduced and can be at negligible cost to the government if carefully planned. Next the population sees it as benefitting them and so they participate more enthusiastically, helping with early completion of the project rather than being an impediment. Public-Private Participation (PPP) The method of execution envisaged is essentially of the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) model, where concessionaires bid for a project, with the incentive being concurrent areas offered to them for development and commercial use. These will give returns in four to five years which will meet their investment cost. It is better than waiting for 20 years collecting toll to make good the loans taken for a project. While the concessionaire utilizes valuation in a pattern that is part of a larger plan for the area, he also shares this with more and adds more value to the whole system. It will be a win-win situation. The SG approach requires the Government to participate as a facilitator and nothing more. The first step is to recognize the merits of a multi-sector approach to infrastructure and conceive projects which may be predominantly one sector but carry with them smaller packages of other sectors. Implied in this is the ability to take decision across ministries and give clearances at one point. The method of implementation will also be peculiar to each project, the place and the local conditions. Single window clearances would therefore have to be the norm, supported by empowered teams that can help conceptualize and clear a project in the SG mould. Once this is done, the execution may be decentralized to specific states or regions. Help from the government will only be required for mid-course corrections where inescapable. The requirement is to move from small to big, from project to project. Each will be unique depending on what the ground and the situation dictates. The method of both valuation and value addition needs expertise and imagination for holistic development in the state through Secured Governance. PPPs are essentially “risk sharing partnerships” between governments and the private sector on financing, designing, constructing, and operating public infrastructure and public services. Infrastructure projects are inherently complex and unpredictable, and, under PPP arrangements, governments opt to transfer specific tasks and the risks associated with them to private enterprises that might be better able to execute and mitigate them. Conclusion It is to be noted that India cannot and will not go slow on its explosively expanding plans despite the dent caused by Covid. The steps taken for massive expansion will be taken forward strategically to achieve the desired results which may be a little later than planned. Investment in infrastructure is necessary for the economy. Infrastructure Growth, huge investment toward a greater formalisation of the economy is bound to lead to acceleration in per capita income of the people and large-scale employment. Government clearly holds the key to realising this potential and taking a proactive stance. The Extended producers Responsibility is an important step and the policy us evolving. All the stake holders have to jointly to find a solution for the common good. Use modern technologies to provide both immediate assessment and the longer-term ability to continually evaluate the fine balance between lean operations and risk mitigation. Using analytics, Waste management services providers and cities can benefit from IoT-powered smart waste management solutions. Using the technology, waste management companies can increase their operational efficiency, cut costs, and enhance customer satisfaction by making sure no dumpster overflows. The implementation cost of modern technologies is decreasing, and there are plenty of technologies available in the market to make smart waste management solutions implementation possible. So, stop throwing cash in the trash and start saving time and money. The International investment community is more to support in waste management and a clean environment.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Air Pollution Updates: Deposit Rs 5,000 Each in Bank Accounts of Workers, Says CM Kejriwal as Ban on Construction Work Reimposed Amid Spike in Pollution

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Thursday said that air pollution levels have risen again today, as compared to last three-four days. He added that considering the situation and Supreme Court order, a ban has been re-imposed on construction and demolition activities. “I have given an order today to deposit Rs 5,000 each in bank accounts of construction workers in view of a ban on construction activities due to air pollution. We will also provide compensation to workers for their loss according to their minimum wages," Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said. Air quality in the national capital continues to be in the ‘very poor’ category with the AQI clocking 390 at 9 am on Thursday, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed. The city’s 24-hour air quality index (AQI) stood at 361 on Wednesday. Neighbouring Faridabad (394), Ghaziabad (362), Gurugram (322) and Noida (330) also recorded their air quality in the ‘very poor’ category. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’. The minimum temperature in the national capital was 9.7 degrees Celsius, two notches below the season’s average, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. While the maximum temperature is likely to settle at 28 degrees Celsius, the relative humidity recorded by the weather department at 8.30 am was 95 per cent. The weather man has predicted “mainly clear sky" for Delhi on Thursday. Scientists at the the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) scientists attributed this to the restrictions on polluting activities such as construction, thermal power plants and truck movement in the NCR, according to a Hindustan Times report. Meanwhile, experts questioned why forecasts were not used to take preemptive measures. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) told Hindustan Times that forecast-based monitoring of pollution needs to be leveraged in order to ensure pre-emptive action. What stopped the agencies to take this action when Delhi had already recorded so many severe air days right after Diwali? Agencies need to focus on pre-emptive action based on air quality forecasts to prevent such spikes,” Roychowdhury said. Asking why should Delhiites suffer very poor air quality, the Supreme Court on Wednesday called for advance preventive steps to deal with the situation before it becomes severe, observing that any dip in pollution is because of the wind, an “act of God, which too may come to zero by the end of the day." The court also wondered what signal the country is sending to the world when the national capital is hit by air pollution, and told the Centre and the National Capital Region(NCR) states to continue with their measures to curb air pollution. Graded response to deal with the spike in air pollution should be taken before the situation becomes severe, a special bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana said, and made it clear that it will not close the pollution case and continue the hearing even if pollution comes down by “virtue of God’s act" or restrictions. “Why should Delhiites suffer this severe and very poor air quality?" the apex court asked. “This is the national capital. Look at the signal we are sending to the world. You can stop these (pollution causing) activities in anticipation itself…” The court then pushed for evolving a statistical model for Delhi with the help of the Indian Meteorological Department(IMD) to anticipate a weather situation and take advance measures against air pollution. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, at the outset, said that after the last order, the situation has improved as the Air Quality Index(AQI) was at 403 on November 16 and now it was 260. Delhi’s quality showed an improvement due to strong winds on Sunday and Monday but slipped to “very poor" category on Wednesday due to dip in mercury and wind speed, according to official data.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi eases pollution-related curbs; schools, govt offices to reopen on Nov 29

Entry of CNG and electric trucks carrying non-essential items from other states into New Delhi will be allowed from Saturday. The ban on petrol and diesel trucks, however, will remain in place until December 3 Delhi’s environment minister Gopal Rai announced the easing of pollution-related curbs in a phased manner on Wednesday. Schools, colleges and educational institutions will open on November 29, along with government offices, whose employees have been working from home. The measures were imposed by the government last week to tackle the escalating pollution crisis in the Capital. Entry of CNG and electric trucks carrying non-essential items from other states into New Delhi will be allowed from Saturday, the minister said. The ban on petrol and diesel trucks, however, will remain in place until December 3. “For the last three days, we have observed a reduction in the pollution levels in Delhi. We have decided to ease the restrictions, but a strict watch will be kept on the sources [of pollution],” Rai told reporters. The state government and affiliated offices had switched to work-from-home mode for their staff since November 17 to cut down on the use of private vehicles. The minister said that the government is providing special shuttle buses from the secretariat to nearby metro stations to encourage people to use the metro instead of their own vehicles. “Construction activities have already been allowed, but we are keeping a close watch on the sites. If any violation is found, we will temporarily ban operations and impose heavy fines,” Rai said. The minister said that till Wednesday, 1,221 construction sites were inspected by 585 teams deployed by the government across Delhi, with 105 sites shut down for violating dust-related norms. “These sites were not adhering to the 14-point guideline we had issued. They have been shut down and a penalty has also been imposed,” Rai said. After a slew of pollution control measures were implemented by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the Delhi-NCR region and adjoining areas on November 16, the Delhi government imposed restrictions, extended a ban on the entry of trucks, continued to keep schools shut, and allowed its employees to work from home in a fresh order released last Sunday. Sudha Acharya, the chairperson of the National Progressive School’s Conference, which has over 120 private schools in New Delhi as its members, welcomed the government’s decision to resume in-person classes in school. Acharya said that schooling had been disrupted due to constant closures and it was necessary for students to return to classrooms. “The reopening of schools was much needed. Students have stayed away from school for a very long time and it’s time that they return to the classrooms,” said Acharya, principal of ITL Public School, Dwarka. The Delhi government’s decision came on a day when the city’s air quality began to deteriorate as wind speeds slowed down over the Capital. New Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) was “poor” on Tuesday - for the first time since November 1 - with a reading of 290 recorded, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s 4pm bulletin. The AQI reading shot up to 365 – in the “very poor” category - at 2pm on Wednesday. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said New Delhi will continue to see variations in the air quality, with meteorological factors playing a key role. To counter that, it is important to ensure strict vigilance so that extreme curbs don’t need to be imposed again, she said. “Air quality will improve and worsen all through this winter now, but it is important that adequate measures are taken in advance so that we don’t reach those severe [pollution] levels. Pollution from construction sites and garbage burning can easily be controlled. We also need to see what can be done to reduce emissions from the vehicular sector. While the government is trying to promote public transport, it is also turning out to be a big challenge,” she said.

• Director General Office

Glasgow Climate Pact Agreed At COP26 Undermines ‘Climate Justice’, Say Experts

Climate change affects different people differently and is likely to create more inequity, say experts New Delhi: Nearly 200 nations agreed to adopt the ‘Glasgow Climate Pact’ on November 12, after more than two weeks of discussions and negotiations at the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) climate summit at Glasgow, UK. The aim was to finalise the Paris Agreement rule book in order to avert the impacts of global warming and to ask governments to strengthen their climate targets to prevent the warming of the planet to exceed 1.5 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels. According to experts, while the Glasgow Climate Pact made some progress in terms of emissions-cutting goals, it has completely undermined the concept of climate justice. What Is Climate Justice? Climate justice is the fair treatment of all people in the creation of policies and implementation of actions that address climate change, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. D. Raghunandan, Scientist and member, Delhi Science Forum said that when cyclones, floods or droughts strike, too often those hit hardest are poor and marginalised communities who bear little responsibility for global warming and climate change. He explained that climate justice has emerged from the idea that historical responsibility for climate change lies with wealthy and powerful people – and yet it disproportionately impacts the poorest and most vulnerable. He said, This concept of ‘climate justice’ is reshaping of climate action from efforts to only cut emissions into an approach that also addresses human rights and inequality. It is the industrialised, developed nations who gathered wealth by burning fossil fuels, but it is the socially, economically, the environmentally vulnerable people like tribals, poor, farmers, fishing communities, children, people with disabilities who face the brunt of the worst impacts of extreme weather events caused by climate change. Global warming is also an ethical and political issue, and not just a purely environmental issue and this is what climate justice is about. Climate Justice: What Happened At COP26? According to Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi based think tank, about 70 per cent of the world’s population needs access to carbon space for development; they cannot be told not to develop. However, poor nations with miniscule per capita carbon footprint are asked to constrain their developmental health in trying to abide by the Paris Agreement. COP26 was supposed to confront this inequity and ensure that it is addressed while securing low-carbon pathways for the world, she said. COP26, failed at climate justice, according to CSE experts. The following happened at COP26, according to CSE: – Civil society and activists were locked out of the discussions. – Major developed countries who are big polluters did not commit to domestic fossil fuel phase-out, only to halt funding it internationally. – An upwardly increasing climate finance goal was not agreed upon. The final text acknowledges the needs of developing countries for climate finance and sets out a process to deliver on those needs. – Finance for ‘Loss and Damages’, which refers to the cost of destruction caused by extreme weather events, was not announced. The COP just decided to establish a dialogue between parties, stakeholders and relevant organisations to support efforts to avert, minimise and address loss and damage associated with climate change. – The pact has no mention of historical emissions. It just “notes” the “importance for some of the concept of ‘climate justice’, when taking action to address climate change”. Ms Narain asserted that dismissing climate justice as a concept that is important only for “some” is Glasgow Climate Pact’s fatal flaw. She said that the parties to the pact have failed to understand that climate justice is the pre-requisite for effective climate action- it has to be the bedrock of action. The Pact’s fundamental and fatal flaw is in the very first page – where it says, rather dismissively, that it notes the importance ‘for some’ of the concept of climate justice. We cannot erase the fact that certain countries – the United States, European Union, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and Russia and joined now by China – have consumed roughly 70 per cent of the carbon budget, the space in the atmosphere that is available to keep the world below the 1.5 degree Celsius temperature rise. The challenge is that the world has run out of carbon budget, but some 70 per cent of the world’s people still need the right to development. As these countries grow, they will add emissions and take the world to catastrophic levels of temperature rise. It is for this reason, climate justice is not an add-on concept for some, but the pre-requisite for an effective and ambitious agreement. This lack of understanding is at the core of the problem. Mr Raghunandan stressed that neglecting ‘Climate Justice’ in global accord, will make vulnerable communities facing a high risk of climate change, like the poor with lower means to deal with damages, even more vulnerable to hardships, hunger and displacement. Climate justice is a matter of human rights. It is important because, climate change will affect different people and places differently, and so is likely to increase inequalities within and across nations, creating even more injustice. COP26 should have addressed this because climate change is not only the biggest public health threat but also a danger to the existence of humanity.

• Director General Office

Agra नार्वे से आई टीम ने देखी शहर की सफाई व्यवस्था

उत्तरप्रदेश न्यूज़ डेस्क नॉर्वे के राजदूत हैंस जैकब फ्राइडनलुंड, काउंसलर रॉयल नॉर्वेजियन एंबेसी मेरिट स्टरैंड एवं महानिदेशक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट न्यू दिल्ली डॉक्टर सुनीता नारायण एवं अन्य द्वारा आगरा नगर में ताजमहल के आसपास के क्षेत्र में किए जा रहे घर - घर से कूड़े के संग्रहण, जन जागरूकता अभियान एवं कूड़े के पृथक्कीकरण कार्यों का अवलोकन किया गया। ताजमहल स्मारक के पास स्थित घनी बस्ती में स्थानीय नागरिकों से इस संबंध में फीडबैक भी प्राप्त किया गया। इसके उपरांत समस्त सदस्यों द्वारा पेठे के निर्माण की प्रक्रिया को शास्त्रत्त्ीपुरम स्थित निर्माण स्थल पर जाकर समझा गया एवं इससे जनित होने वाले वेस्ट के निस्तारण के संबंध में जानकारी प्राप्त की गई। टीम द्वारा दोपहर में कुबेरपुर स्थित लैंडफिल साइट का निरीक्षण किया गया एवं लीगेसी वेस्ट के निस्तारण को समयबद्ध एवं तकनीकी रूप से मानकों के अनुसार करते हुए पाए जाने पर कार्य की सराहना भी की। टीम ने नगर निगम मुख्यालय में इंटीग्रेटेड कंट्रोल एंड कमांड सेंटर का निरीक्षण कर स्मार्ट सिटी मिशन से संबंधित कार्यों के संबंध में जानकारी प्राप्त की।

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Why is Delhi’s air so bad?

Delhi has suboptimal air quality all year round, but there are reasons why the conversation around pollution in the city resurfaces every winter. In October and November, the months leading up to a chilly winter in most of northern India, Delhi and its surrounding region invariably get enveloped in a deadly mix of pollutants and fog that can cause severe lung disorders. Air quality dips, often in the red “very poor” and “severe” zones. The smog leads to watery eyes, migraines, and lung and heart diseases. Overall, in 2019 alone, 1.67 million Indians died and the country’s economy lost $36.8 billion because of pollution. Delhi’s pollution is peculiar because it is caused by factors both local—and under the state government’s direct control—and from outside its territory. The extent to which each contributor impacts air quality changes with the time of the year. Vehicular and industrial pollution If the covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 weren’t enough proof of the impact of emissions on air quality, a reopening economy has made it abundantly clear. Delhi and much of the Indo-Gangetic plain saw clear skies between April and June 2020. It was short-lived, though. As industries reopened, traffic picked up, and coal-powered thermal plants in the areas surrounding Delhi began to function at full capacity, Delhi’s deadly winter haze was back. While the supreme court has come down heavily on both the state and central governments this year for not finding lasting solutions to this problem, Delhi’s air had an odd silver lining. Changing rain patterns meant a wetter-than-usual monsoon, which broke decades-long records and lasted well into September. This helped ground much of the particulate matter. Yet, the festival season and a sudden increase in vehicular traffic—on some days, back to even pre-covid levels—contributed up to 50% of the pollution in the city, according to Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). It estimated that between Oct. 24 and Nov. 8, the weekdays leading up to and after the Hindu festival of Diwali, slow-moving traffic due to the festival rush caused an increased concentration of pollutants. “​​While PM2.5 is influenced by several other factors, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is more closely related to traffic trends,” the CSE’s analysis said. “During the study period, NO2 levels show a strong correlation with congestion. The levels increase when traffic speeds go down.” But this particular analysis by CSE is limited to internal pollutants in Delhi. Stubble burning Farm fires in the agriculture-majority states of Punjab and Haryana heavily impact Delhi’s air quality. Farmers in these neighbouring states switch from rice to wheat cultivation and need to clear the previous crop’s residual stubble. Specialised machines for this are both expensive and time-consuming, especially for farmers with smaller holdings. This year was particularly tough with an extended monsoon narrowing the window further between wheat and rice.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

AQI stays in ‘very poor’ range, may improve today but worsen again

Gurgaon: With winds picking up speed, the city air quality improved to 310 on Monday from 364 on Sunday but remained 'very poor' for the eighth straight day. The wind speed increased from 10km/hr on Sunday to 19km/hr on Monday. According to Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), there is some disperal of pollutants due to the wind. The air monitoring station in Teri Gram recorded the highest pollution levels on Monday, with an AQI of 331, followed by Vikas Sadan with an AQI of 304, Gwalpahari with an AQI of 303 and Sector 51 with the lowest AQI of 301. Air quality experts said that emissions from transport vehicles, industries, construction sites, waste burning, and stubble burning, dust from roads and unfavourable meteorological conditions keep contributing to the high pollution levels in Delhi-NCR. “The region needs strong winds, which can flush out pollutants. Due to calmer winds and low temperatures, pollutants have been getting trapped, resulting in a rise in pollution levels,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research-advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), there will be further improvement in air quality on Tuesday, maybe even to the ‘poor’ category, if there is no increase in fire counts. Local surface winds, which contributed to the improved air quality on Monday, may continue on Tuesday, increasing the dispersion of pollutants. However, from November 24, local as well as transport-level winds may slow down, resulting in a slight deterioration in air quality. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Gurgaon recorded a minimum temperature of 10.4 degrees Celsius and a maximum temperature of 25.7 degrees Celsius on Monday. The low temperatures continue to prevent the dispersal of pollutants closer to the ground, said air quality experts. On Monday, not only Gurgaon but also neighbouring cities of Faridabad and Delhi registered improved air quality, with AQIs of 330 and 311, respectively. On Sunday, Faridabad had an AQI of 377 and Delhi had an AQI of 349. Tanushree Ganguly, programme lead of Council on Energy, Environment and Water, said, “While Delhi’s air quality remained in the upper end of ‘very poor’ category for the past one week, it improved marginally on Monday due to relatively stronger surface winds in the afternoon hours, which are favourable for pollutant dispersion.” Meanwhile, the air quality in Noida and Ghaziabad also improved on Monday as the cities recorded AQIs of 270 and 254, respectively.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

How construction sites are causing congestion, adding to pollution load

NEW DELHI: The laying of a 220KV power cable by Delhi Transco Ltd opposite Alaknanda market has badly affected the movement of traffic there. The excavated soil on the site lies unevenly covered against the prevailing anti-pollution imperative to prevent dust from blowing. Vehicular emissions due to their slowing down of traffic on the blocked road are adding to the pollution load in the area. Though Delhi government has lifted the ban on construction sites, digging work has impacted the smooth movement of vehicles. When TOI visited the site on Monday, it found that the ongoing work was the cause of congestion most of the time, with the condition aggravating during the peak traffic hours. A parking attendant at Alaknanda market said, “Due to the ongoing construction work, the traffic moves at a snail’s pace during the peak hours in the morning and evening. In those hours, it becomes difficult for vehicles to move from the parking lane because of the lack of space.” Bishwadev Majumdar, a bank employee, said there were dust clouds almost all the time and traffic snarls on the route every day. Similarly, the work of laying power cables by Delhi Transco Ltd on Outer Ring Road near Munirka causes congestion on the stretch during the rush hours. The construction site was following all guidelines issued by the environment department to control dust pollution, but traffic pollution wasn’t under check. Experts said a proper strategy was required at large construction sites that impede traffic flow. Amit Bhatt, executive director, Integrated Transport, World Resources Institute-India, said, “When someone is outdoors, the individual is exposed to pollutants higher than the overall air quality of the city as that person is in direct contact with emissions from vehicles. If their travel time increases due to congestion, the commuter is exposed to poor air for additional time. Hence, it is necessary for authorities to ensure smooth flow of traffic and reduced travel times.” Bhatt added, “The big projects should come up with a strategy to manage the mobility during construction activities, especially when the air quality is in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ categories. Proper traffic management measures are needed, such as deployment of additional traffic marshals or diversion of the traffic to different routes.” Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, concurred that large-scale construction and road work need to be better timed to avoid the peak winter pollution period. “From the past trends and forecasts, we now know how winter pollution behaves and the need to avoid certain things,” she said. “Moreover, such works not only contribute to local pollution, but also aggravate congestion and, so vehicular emissions that increase the particulate load during bad air days.” Responding to queries, a Delhi Transco official claimed, “The work of laying power cables was halted after the ban on construction activity. However, all guidelines to control dust, like covering the soil and sprinkling water on it are being followed. The deadline to complete the project is April next year, but we have targeted a completion date of March 31. However, we will finish the work on the stretch between Tughlakabad extension and Masjid Moth within a month.” The official added, “The work at a site begins after coordination with land-owning agencies and Delhi police. The contractor of the project deploys its own marshal to help people for proper flow of traffic.” According to the Decision Support System, which has been developed by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, to forecast the sources of local and regional pollution that can impact Delhi’s air, the contribution of transport to the city’s PM2.5 load was likely around 25.5% and that of construction around 3.5% on Tuesday at 8.30pm.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Haryana will study pollution sources in 14 NCR districts

GURUGRAM: The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) is planning to carry out a yearlong study to identify the sources of pollution and the amount of their contribution in the air in 14 NCR districts of the state. Officials said the study — the first such in the state — was the “need of the hour”, pointing out that despite enforcing emergency measures under GRAP, the air quality in the region had hovered around the “very poor” category for the past one week. Studies to identify the sources of pollution were planned earlier too, but they were never executed. Last year, HSPCB had planned to carry out such a study in four NCR districts of the state, but called it off because of the pandemic. This study is crucial because once the pollution sources are identified, it would pave the way for the authorities to chalk out a long-term plan for the region. Congratulations! You have successfully cast your vote The 14 districts where the study may be carried out are Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Jhajjar, Jind, Karnal, Mahendergarh, Nuh, Palwal, Panipat, Rewari, Rohtak and Sonipat. “A similar study planned in four districts — Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat and Panipat — could not be carried out last year because of the pandemic. This year, the board will set up a special cell where experts will collaborate with each other for collecting the primary data in the 14 NCR districts. The secondary data is available. The special cell will analyse that too,” said S. Narayana, secretary at HSPCB. At present, Haryana identifies hotspots and then works on mitigating air pollution in these areas. If implemented, it would be the first time that a study on listing the sources of pollution and their contribution would be carried out. Officials said the focus of the study would be to identify the ground-level concentration of pollutants, list the emission factors from vehicular and non-vehicular sources, and prepare an inventory for different air pollutants and their emission rate and loads. The study will also include the contribution of PM10 and PM2.5 levels. “The study will create emission inventories for each city, giving the main sources of air pollution in addition to every sector’s contribution to the overall load. A scientific study is required for suggesting the mitigation measures after taking into account the techno-economic feasibility and other social factors. Experts from the IMD will also be involved in the study,” said Narayana. Apart from identifying the sources of pollution, the study will also note down the contribution of each. For instance, if industries are found contributing to the pollution in the region, the study will also specify the type of industries that are the most polluting. This will help the authorities take a call on which industry to shut when the air turns foul and which factory to allow. Experts called for a regional study. “Air pollution is no more a local problem, it is a regional one. So far, most of the action plans on pollution have been Delhi-oriented. But it should be NCR as a whole. This needs interstate coordination,” said Dipankar Saha, a former head of CPCB. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy) at the Centre for Science and Environment, explained why the study was crucial to the region. “There are two types of studies – inventory and source appropriation. It is important to carry out both. The inventory survey identifies the different sources of pollution and tells us about the profile of each in different areas. The appropriation study informs us how much each source contributes to the ambient air. This will help one understand how the relative contribution of a pollutant changes with season,” she added.

• Climate Change and Green Economy

India’s coal ‘phase down’ call was all about climate justice

At Glasgow, the developed world looked keen to get rid of coal, but was silent on oil and gas. This precisely stoked India’s opposition to ‘phasing out’ the fossil fuel On the last day of the all-important climate summit at Glasgow on November 12, COP26 president Alok Sharma was in tears. He squarely blamed India and China for ‘watering down’ the Glasgow Pact by their opposition to ‘phasing out’ coal. “China and India will have to explain to climate-vulnerable countries why they did what they did,” said Sharma, expressing “deep frustration” at India’s stand. Alok Sharma, a British politician, probably would never understand that India did not have a choice. It appears that Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav was in the forefront, suggesting that the wording of the agreement be changed from “phase out” coal to “phase down”. A school of thought believes India did not have to take such a strong stand on coal given the fact that we are already on course to meeting our renewables target for the decade, which would mean less dependence on coal. However, there is another belief that India can think beyond coal only after 2030, hoping that by that time new sources like hydrogen, which promises cheap and clean energy, become viable. The Federal will look at four prominent and intricate subjects – renewable energy, coal, climate finance and adaptation – that were deliberated upon at the COP26 and give a perspective on each of them. This article looks at India’s stand on rooting out coal as a source of energy. If coal is bad then so is gas For records, the developed world labels coal (a fossil fuel) ONLY as the main reason for high CO2 emissions and the major cause for climate change. India, on the other hand, has argued that if coal needs to be phased out then so should oil and gas — two other prominent fossil fuels that are only comparatively cleaner than coal. The US and the European Union (EU) don’t agree mainly because they are largely dependent on gas and oil to meet their energy requirements. The US, in fact, has discovered large sources of shale gas, of late. As per one estimate, the United States produced some 37 billion cubic feet per day of shale gas in 2015. The country is projected to produce 80 billion cubic feet of gas per day in the next 20 years. There is evidence that shale gas exploration too has an environmental cost. “The original COP document mentioned ‘phase out of coal’. The proposal did not mention other fossil fuels, like gas and oil, which are used extensively in developed countries and drive the economy of the middle-east. It is a fact that coal is the mainstay of energy systems in developing countries. So India’s original proposal said ‘phase out of all fossil fuels’, which is fair and more in sync with climate science. That was pushed back. So at the last moment India stuck to the term ‘phase down’ of coal,” said Priyadarshini Karve, national convener, Indian Network on Ethics and Climate Change (INECC), who has been closely associated with all the earlier COP summits. “I don’t see what’s the fuss about phase out or phase down. What is important is that the Glasgow Pact did not set a time frame on ending coal usage. Also, if you analyse the Glasgow document in terms of real numbers, it doesn’t really matter what words we use here,” said Avantika Goswami, Deputy Program Manager, Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi. Even among the G-20 countries, India is the only one which is working at a pace required to meet the 2 degree C temperature control scenario. So coal or no coal, the developed nations need to look deep within before telling India what it should do. What matters is global equity A “phase down” would mean that India – the third highest polluter in the world – could still use coal and not commit to eradicating its use completely, which is being criticised in the western world. The million-dollar question is: Can India afford to phase out coal as yet? In a country where 70% of electricity generation is still dependent on coal and where about 2% of the population (more than 2 crore people) still does not have access to electricity, it is difficult to give any commitment on removing coal from the system. India can think of getting rid of coal only gradually and cannot be compared with the developed nations who have long back used the coal they wanted to (or even more) and have a historic responsibility towards emerging nations which are still at the cusp of development. “Without providing the requisite finance, and not grants, it is unfair on part of any developed country to expect India to migrate completely to renewables in the coming decade or so,” said Goswami. “What matters is global equity or climate justice,” said Samrat Sengupta, programme director, Climate Change and Energy at the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi. India’s methane dilemma On the issue of ending fossil fuel subsidies too India faces a precarious situation. COP26 held detailed discussions on ending subsidies to fossil fuel companies, but India cannot blindly say ‘yes’ to such a move because it offers heavy subsidies on LPG cylinders to its below poverty line population and cannot end it abruptly, lest the population moves back to biomass based fuels like wood, which adds to deforestation and air pollution. At Glasgow, the US initiated a methane pledge, with a collective commitment from more than 100 countries on cutting global methane emissions (a greenhouse gas) by at least 30 percent from 2020 levels by 2030. India stayed out of this deal as well because joining the pledge would mean a death knell for Indian agriculture. Cattle are considered a major sources of methane emission and India has a huge population of cows and buffaloes (35% of world population), which are not just useful source of milk protein and farm yard manure, but also considered sacred by a large majority. How can India commit to controlling methane emission then? Meanwhile, beef is heavily consumed in the US. Would Americans sacrifice their steak for a better environment? India’s doing its bit, it is time for the world to imitate As per Prime Minister Modi’s commitment at Glasgow, India will cut its carbon emission by 1 billion tons (1 Gt). As per one estimate, in a life-as-usual scenario, our carbon emissions by 2030 would reach 4.48 billion tonnes. But with the new commitment, our emissions in 2030 will be down to 3.48 billion tonnes. While India’s per capita CO2 emission in 2030 would be 2.31 tonnes that of the US will be 9.42 tonnes, EU 4.12 in 2030, the UK’s will be 2.7 tonnes and China’s would be around 8 tonnes per capita. At the same time, India aims to install 552 GW renewable energy (solar, wind, nuclear) by 2030, which would be roughly 70% of all electricity generated in India. Contrast this with today’s 70% dependence on coal. (These calculations are based on the Central Electricity Authority’s Optimum Energy Mix report, which says that India’s power demand in 2029-30 will be 817 GW). Of course, when it comes to optics, India’s stand on coal comes out as a bad diplomatic move. Since India is not the only country interested in the economics of coal, it could have done well to take a subdued position. South Africa, China and Australia must be happy that India took all the brickbats. The bottom line is that India’s refusal to agree on “phasing out” coal should not be considered as “watering down” of the COP26 agreement. India has made a commitment. Will the world follow?