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चिंताजनक : महामारी से 37.5 करोड़ बच्चों की सेहत प्रभावित, 50 करोड़ बच्चों का स्कूल छूटा

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एन्वॉयरनमेंट (सीएसई) की स्टेट ऑफ इंडडया इन्वॉयरमेंट ररपोटा के 2021 अनुसार, कोरोना महामारी के कारण देश भर में 37.5 करोड़ बच्चों के स्वास्थ्य और आधर्ाक हािात पर स्र्ायी असर पड़ा है। सीएसई की महाननदेशक डॉ. सुनीता नारायण ने ररपोटा जारी करते हुए बताया, नवजात से िेकर 14 वषा तक के बच्चों को स्वास्थ्य संबंधी तकिीफें ज्यादा होंगी। इसमें बच्चों का कम वजन, उम्र के अनुसार, शारीररक ववकास न होना और मृत्यु दर में बढ़ोतरी की आशंका है। बच्चों की खराब सेहत के कारण मशक्षा और काया क्षेत्र में भी दुष्प्रभाव देखने को ममि सकता है। ऑनिाइन जारी की गई इस ररपोटा को दुननयाभर के सार् पयाावरण और अन्य ववशेषज्ञों ने ममिकर तैयार ककया है। बढ़ता प्रदूषण सेहत के मिए और घातक ररपोटा के अनुसार, बीमारी, कुपोषण, अत्यंत गरीबी जैसी समस्याओं से मुजचकि होगी। हवा और पानी में प्रदूषण स्तर बढ़ने का सीधा असर स्वास्थ्य पर पड़ रहा है। िॉकडाउन में भी नददयों के प्रदूषण में कोई कमी नहीं आई है। सांस िेने के मिए हवा और पीने के मिए साफ पानी के मिए बहुत बड़े स्तर पर काम करना होगा। महाराष्ट् का तारापुर प्रदूवषत क्िस्टर कें द्रीय प्रदूषण ननयंत्रण बोडा के अनुसार, देश के 88 प्रमुख औद्योधगक किस्टर में से 35 में समग्र रूप से पयाावरण में धगरावट आई है। 33 स्र्ानों पर हवा की गुणवत्ता खराब, 45 स्र्ानों पर साि भर दूवषत पानी जबकक 17 स्र्ानों पर भूमम प्रदूषण अधधक र्ा। महाराष्ट् का तारापुर सबसे प्रदूवषत क्िस्टर र्ा। महामारी से 50 करोड़ बच्चों का स्कूि छूटा महामारी के कारण दुननया भर में 50 करोड़ बच्चों का स्कूि छूट गया। इसमें से 50 फीसदी से ज्यादा बच्चे भारत में है। सुनीता नारायण ने कहा, महामारी के कारण अनतररक्त 115 करोड़ िोग अत्यंत गरीबी के दायरे में आ चुके हैं। इसमें से अधधकतर दक्षक्षण एमशया में रहते हैं। 192 देशों में भारत 117वें स्र्ान पर सतत ववकास िक्ष्य हामसि करने में भारत दुननया भर के 192 देशों की सूची में 117वें स्र्ान पर है। पाककस्तान को छोड़कर सभी दक्षक्षण एमशयाई देशों से पीछे हैं। सतत ववकास िक्ष्यों को पाने में 5 राज्य केरि, दहमाचि प्रदेश, आंध्र प्रदेश, तममिनाडु और तेिंगाना बेहतर है। बबहार, अरुणाचि प्रदेश, मेघािय और यूपी सबसे पीछे हैं। 2025 तक स्रैपेज नीनत की जरूरत ररपोटा के अनुसार, भारत को वषा 2025 तक वाहनों के स्रैपेज के मिए नीनत की जरूरत होगी। देश में दो करोड़ वाहन ऐसे हैं जजनका जीवन अंत की ओर है। अगर सही समय पर इनका ननस्तारण नहीं ककया गया तो आने वािे समय में यह पयाावरण के मिए सबसे बड़ी चुनौती बनेंगे। भारत में वषा 2019 में 16.70 िाख िोगों की मौत वायु प्रदूषण के कारण हुई हैं। 889 जीवों पर मंडरा रहा खतरा भारत में 430 पौधे जजसमें 95 फीसदी फूि और खाद्य पदार्ा वािे हैं। वे खात्मे की कगार पर हैं। रीढ़ और रीढ़ ववहीन 889 जीवों पर भी खतरा मंडरा रहा है। पयाावरण से जुड़े आपराधधक मामिे बढ़े हैं। 2019 में 24,671 केस दजा हुए र्े जबकक 49,877 मामिे िंबबत हैं।

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देश अब एक ‘महामारी जनरेशन’ में प्रवेश करने के लिए िैर्ार, बच्चों में र्दखेगा कोरोना का कुप्रभाव

संजीव गुप्ता, नई ददल्िी। कोववड-19 संरमण भिे ही कम हो गया हो और इसकी वैक्सीन भी आ गई हो, िेककन इस महामारी का कुप्रभाव अभी वषो तक देखने को ममिेगा। खासकर बच्चों का शारीररक ववकास इससे सवााधधक प्रभाववत होगा। बच्चों की मृत्युदर में भी इजाफा हो सकता है और उनकी पढ़ाई-मिखाई भी बीच में ही छूट सकती है। यह दावा ककया गया है सेंटर फार साइंस एंड एन्वायरमेंट (सीएसई) की वावषाक ररपोटा स्टेट आफ इंडडयाज एन्वायरमेंट 2021 में। सीएसई की महाननदेशक सुनीता नारायण सदहत देश भर के 60 से अधधक पयाावरणववदें ने एक सार् यह ररपोटा बृहस्पनतवार शाम वचुाअिी जारी की। इस ररपोटा के मुताबबक भारत अब एक ‘महामारी जनरेशन’ में प्रवेश करने के मिए तैयार है। 37.5 करोड़ बच्चे (नवजात मशशु से िेकर 14 साि के बच्चों तक) िंबे समय तक चिने वािे कोरोना के कुप्रभावों की चपेट में आ सकते हैं। उनकी रोग प्रनतरोधक क्षमता प्रभाववत होने से यह कुप्रभाव कम वजन, कम िंबाई और मृत्यु दर में वृवद्द से िेकर मशक्षा के नुकसान के रूप में भी सामने आ सकता है। अब इस मागा पर यातायात सुगम होने की उम्मीद बढ़ गई है। ववचव भर में पचास करोड़ से ज्यादा बच्चे स्कूि से बाहर हो गए हैं। इसमें आधे से ज्यादा बच्चे भारत में हैं। ररपोटा में यह भी बताया गया है कक पूणा िाकडाउन के बावजूद भारत संरमण मुक्त नहीं रहा। यहां आबादी का एक बड़ा दहस्सा स्िम, झुग्गी-झोपडड़यों और घनी आबादी वािे क्षेत्रों में रहता है। वहां न तो पीने का साफ पानी उपिलध है और न सफाई ठीक से होती है। ऐसे में संरमण फैिने की गुंजाइश रहती है। कान्क्िेव की अध्यक्षता पीएचडी चेंबर आफ कामसा एंड इंडस्ट्ीज के हररयाणा चेप्टर के अध्यक्ष प्रणब गुप्ता ने की। बाघों की संख्या बढ़ी, मगर घट गया वन क्षेत्र देश में वनस्पनत और वन्य जीव खतरे में हैं। पयाावरण संबंधी अपराध के मामिे बढ़ रहे हैं, पर उनका ननपटान धीमा है। वषा 2019 में 34,671 अपराध दजा ककए गए, जबकक 49,877 मामिे िंबबत हैं। सरकारी दावा है कक वषा 2017 के बाद से भारत का वन क्षेत्र 5,188 वगा ककमी हो गया है। हािांकक सीएसई इससे इत्तेफाक नहीं रखता। बाघों को िेकर भी आंकड़ा भ्रममत करता है। सरकारी दावा है कक भारत में 714 बाघों को जोड़ा है, पर बाघों के कलजे वािा क्षेत्र 17,000 वगा ककमी (वपछिे चार सािों में) पहिे से मसकुड़ गया है। राजीव चौक के बाद ये दूसरा सबसे गहरा मेट्ो स्टेशन बन गया है। Delhi Metro News: जाननए ददल्िी मेट्ो नेटवका में ककस िाइन पर और कहां है सबसे गहरा मेट्ो स्टेशन यह भी पढ़ें सतत ववकास में भारत 192 में से 117वें नंबर पर सतत ववकास के मामिे में भारत 192 देशों में से 117वें स्र्ान पर है। हैरत की बात यह कक अब भारत पाककस्तान को छोड़ सभी दक्षक्षण एमशयाई देशों से भी पीछे हो गया है। सतत ववकास के िक्ष्यों को पूरा करने के मामिे में देश में सबसे अच्छा प्रदशान वािे पांच राज्य केरि, दहमाचि प्रदेश, आंध्र प्रदेश, तममिनाडु और तेिंगाना हैं, जबकक सबसे खराब प्रदशान करने वािे पांच राज्य बबहार, झारखंड, अरुणाचि प्रदेश, मेघािय और उत्तर प्रदेश हैं। चाटाडा ववमानों के मिए शुरू ककए गए जनरि एववएशन टममानि से हवाई याबत्रयों का समय बच रहा है। अब यह जांच करने का समय आ गया है कक कोरोना महामारी हमारे मिए दीघाावधध में क्या छोड़ने वािी है। एक खोई हुई पीढ़ी, जो अस्वस्र्ता, कुपोषण, गरीबी और शैक्षखणक उपिजलधयों में दुबािता से नघरी हुई है। चुनौती यह भी है कक पयाावरण का उपयोग सतत ववकास के मिए ककया जाए, ताकक जिवायु-जोखखम वािे समय में हम आजीववका, पोषण सुरक्षा में सुधार कर सकें । (- सुनीता नारायण, महाननदेशक, सीएसई)

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CSE’s State of Environment Report: Inching Closer to Ecological Disasters ‘The pandemic has demonstrated

‘The pandemic has demonstrated another brutal reality: A crisis’ impacts trickle faster to the poor. It is estimated that 12,000 more people would die every day due to hunger extended by the pandemic,’ the report said. Amid an ongoing pandemic and the worsening of climate systems across the globe, the Center for Science and Environment’s State of Environment report cautioned that the world is inching closer to ecological disasters. The report, released at an online event on February 25, highlighted the degradation of systems that have led to the creation of the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe, and said the world will face pandemics like the current one more frequently. It added that the adult generation of 2040 would be stunted with a lower human capital and that it would be the toughest developmental challenge for the world due to the impact of the pandemic. “The pandemic has demonstrated another brutal reality: A crisis’s impacts trickle faster to the poor. It is estimated that 12,000 more people would die every day due to hunger extended by the pandemic,” it added. In a chapter on COVID-19, the report stated: “Deforestation for large-scale industrial animal husbandry is thus tantamount to inviting these viruses into our future most electronic devices are made from materials extracted from mines of metals and minerals, such as copper, nickel, silver and cobalt. Most of these mines are in old forests, which have to be cleared and habitats destroyed to start mining there. That’s how we end up bringing viruses closer to us.” “We are currently faced with multiple crises, including ones like the ongoing pandemic. Amidst this, it is key to focus on the environmental crisis we are creating which is leading to more vulnerabilities among the marginalised communities, those who are on the frontlines of witnessing the effects of climate change,” Director of CSE, Sunita Narain, said. The report highlighted how the ongoing climate crisis is creating newer vulnerabilities at the cost of the marginalised communities. “Livelihoods of many workers depend on industrialisation. Their course is restricted use of resources and revival of natural ecosystems. This would mean using resources responsibly and restoring areas back to their original glory after extraction has ended. Urbanisation is increasing and biodiversity diminishing,” it added. At the launch of the report, Biswajit Mohanty, secretary, Wildlife Society of Odisha, said that India’s ecology and environment “have never faced such enormous pressure and degradation, driven by rapacious corporate interests growth is happening at unforgivable and irreversible damage, sustainability, ecology and law have been cast aside to fatten the balance sheets while our policy makers and regulators are silent.” Last year witnessed massive campaigns against one of the moves by the Narendra Modi government to pave way for easier environmental clearances for corporates to envisage projects in vulnerable-eco sensitive zones. CSE has critiqued the EC process and recommended ways in which it can be streamlined (for ease of doing business) and strengthened (for environmental and social integrity). Some of these are to consolidate clearances—environmental, forest, wildlife, coastal—and make the document public so that the project impact is fully understood and decisions taken are timely. The assessment should be openly scrutinised to take care of people’s concerns. The report stated: “Currently, these committees are not responsible to ensure the projects cleared do not have a serious environmental impact. They delay clearances by repeatedly asking for information, or they clear with a list of conditions, knowing the conditions will not be monitored, or may not even be feasible.” Amid this rapid industrialisation, India’s power plants have already pleaded for a delayed deadline to meet the new standards beyond 2022. The study by CSE has shown that about 70% of the power plants in the country cannot meet the standards by 2022. The recovery package calls for private investments and ease-ofdoing business in the coal sector for accelerated commercial coal mining, and removes end-use restrictions. Rules on ash content of coal have been waived off. This will flood the market with dirtier and cheaper coal leading to more vulnerabilities for indigenous populations as well as natural resources. Activist and journalist Patricia Mukhim, while discussing the state of mining in Meghalaya said, “It is being projected as if there is no coal mining, but on the protocols, polluting river systems causing acid rains from the mining activity.” The report also elaborated on the ethics of landscape conservation, agro-ecological systems of food production and of controlled fire interventions, among several other methods, as the way forward. It laid special emphasis on the involvement of the indegeous communities to ensure planetary justice.

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कोविड महामारी का भयावह सच, देश के 37 करोड़ बच्चों को दशकों तक भूख, कुपोषण, अशिक्षा का सामना करना होगा

सीएसई की रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि कोविड-19 महामारी के कारण भारत में 37.5 करोड़ बच्चों को भूख, कुपोषण, अशिक्षा और कई अनेदेखी परशानियों का सामना करना होगा. इसका प्रभाव कई दशकों तक दिखाई देगा. नई दिल्लीः कोविड-19 महामारी का प्रभाव कई दशकों तक दिखाई देता रहेगा. बच्चों की एक पूरी पीढ़ी इससे बुरी तरह प्रभावित हो सकती है. Centre for Science and Environment की सालाना स्टेट ऑफ इंडियाज एनवायरनमेंट 2021 की रिपोर्ट में यह बात कही गई है. रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक कोविड-19 महामारी के कारण 0 से 14 साल के 37.5 करोड़ भारतीय बच्चों पर लंबे समय तक बुरे असर का साया रहेगा. इन बच्चे को कुपोषण, अशिक्षा और कई अनदेखी दुश्वारियों का सामना करना पड़ सकता है. रिपोर्ट तैयार करने में विश्व बैंक, यूनिसेफ और ग्लोबल हेल्थ साइंस का सहारा लिया गया है. और गरीब हो जाएगी दुनिया सीएसई की निदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने कहा है कि कोविड-19 ने पहले से गरीब विश्व को और गरीब बना दिया है. उन्होंने कहा, कोविड-19 के प्रभाव के कारण दुनिया भर में 11.5 करोड़ अतिरिक्त लोग अत्यंत गरीबी में जीने के लिए विवश होंगे. इनमें से ज्यादातर दक्षिण एशिया के होंगे. रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक 31 दिसंबर 2020 तक भारत में 2.5 करोड़ से ज्यादा बच्चों ने जन्म लिया। यानी एक पूरी पीढ़ी ने सदी की सबसे लंबी महामारी के दौरान जन्म लिया. जब ये बच्चे बड़े होंगे तो इनकी याददाश्त में महामारी एक निर्णायक मिसाल के तौर पर होगी. इस महामारी के कारण मौजूदा पीढ़ी के 35 करोड़ से ज्यादा बच्चे इसके अलग-अलग तरह के असर को अपनी जिंदगी तक ढोएंगे. सतत विकास में बिहार, यूपी सबसे पिछड़े राज्यों में यूनिसेफ के मुताबिक लॉकडाउन के कारण दुनिया भर के बच्चों को सरकारी स्कूल से मिलने वाला भोजन नहीं मिला. भारत में करीब 9.4 करोड़ बच्चे लॉकडाउन के कारण मिडडे मिल से वंचित रहे. रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि दुनिया भर में करीब 50 करोड़ बच्चों को स्कूल से मजबूरन बाहर होना पड़ा. इनमें आधे बच्चे भारत के हैं. इतना ही नहीं 2030 तक बच्चों में ठिगनापन (बौनापन) को 2.5 प्रतिशत तक लाने का जो भारत का लक्ष्य था, वह भी कोविड 19 के कारण प्रभावित हुआ है. सतत विकास के लक्ष्य को प्राप्त करने की दिशा में भारत 192 देशों में 117 वें स्थान पर है. इस मामले में भारत पाकिस्तान को छोड़कर सभी दक्षिण एशियाई देशों से पीछे है. सालाना स्टेट ऑफ इंडियाज एनवायरमेंट 2021 की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक सतत विकास लक्ष्य के मामले में केरल, हिमाचल प्रदेश, आंध्र प्रदेश, तमिलनाडु और तेलंगाना को बेहतर प्रदर्शन वाला पांच राज्य घोषित किया गया है जबकि इसमें बिहार, झारखंड, अरुणाचल प्रदेश, मेघालय और उत्तर प्रदेश को सबसे खराब प्रदर्शन वाला राज्य बताया गया है.लॉकडाउन में साफ नहीं हुई गंगा रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि भारत में वायु प्रदूषण के कारण 2019 में 16.7 लाख लोगों की मौत हुईं। इसके कारण देश को 360 करोड़ डॉलर का नुकसान हुआ जो कुल जीडीपी का 1.36 प्रतिशत है. रिपोर्ट में इस बात को खारिज कर दिया गया कि लॉकडाउन के कारण भारत की नदियां साफ हुई है. रिपोर्ट की मुताबिक गंगा सहित 19 नदिया और ज्यादा गंदी हो गईं.

• Down To Earth

Environmental crime cases piling up: State of India’s Environment report

February 27, 2021: Even with a drop in the number of wildlife crimes in the country between 2019 and 2020, India sees two cases recorded every day. At the same time, courts are disposing cases at a rate much lower than that of new cases recorded, leading to a pile-up and delays -- says the 2021 State of India’s Environment (SoE) report, an annual publication brought out by Down To Earth magazine in association with Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The report was jointly released here Saturday at an online event by over 60 environmental thinkers and activists, journalists and academics from across India. In 2019, a total of 34,671 environment-related crimes were registered. Over 7,000 cases were pending police investigation, and almost 50,000 cases were pending trial in courts. Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra accounted for 77 per cent of India’s wildlife crimes in 2019. Between 2018 and 2019, some states saw an increase in wildlife crimes: these included Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal and all the states of the northeast. “We have a long way to go, when it comes to dealing with environmental crimes,” says Down To Earth’s wildlife and forest reporter Ishan Kukreti. “At the rate at which we are going, courts will need to dispose of a humongous 137 cases a day to clear the existing backlog within a year.” The courts are, understandably, stretched. In 2019, the average number of cases (under all environment and pollution-related laws) they managed to dispose of every day stood at about 86. The SoE’s analysis shows that in all of 2019, only 0.13 cases under the EPA (Environment (Protection) Act) could be disposed of every day – at this rate, courts would take more than 20 years to clear the backlog of cases under this Act. Similarly, cases under the Wildlife Protection Act (a mere 0.66 were disposed off per day in 2019) would take over 13 years. Says Down To Earth managing editor Richard Mahapatra: “The maximum number of cases that courts are managing to dispose of currently come under the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act and the Noise Pollution Act. We need to clear the backlog under the other laws as well. Environmental crimes – as the United Nations has pointed out – have the potential to threaten security and sustainable development of nations, and must be dealt with a heavy hand.”

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Pandemic will leave 375 million children with health impacts: State of India’s Environment 2021 report

NEW DELHI: India is likely to see a pandemic generation with 375 million children under the age of 14 years suffering from long-lasting impacts ranging from being underweight, stunting and increased child mortality to losses in education and work productivity, according to the 2021 State of India’s Environment report. But that is not all. The compendium by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) says that Covid pandemic also has its hidden victims over 500 million children forced out of school globally and India accounts for more than half of them. “Covid-19 has made the world’s poor poorer. About 115 million additional people might get pushed into extreme poverty by the pandemic and most of them live in South Asia,” the report said. “The time has now come to investigate what the pandemic is going to leave behind for us in the longer term a lost generation, scarred by ill-health, malnourishment, acute poverty and a debilitating break in educational accomplishments,” CSE director general Sunita Narain said. Ranked 117 among 192 nations in terms of sustainable development, India is now behind all South Asian nations except Pakistan. With respect to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, the five best performing states are Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana while Bihar, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Uttar Pradesh languish at the bottom. “The overall assessment is that our air and water quality is under stress; all trends show that pollution is increasing and this has massive impacts on our health. Even during the lockdown, data shows that river pollution did not reduce. Clearly, we need to do much more to improve the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink,” Narain said.

• Down To Earth

Air and water quality of India under unprecedented stress: Narain

* India ranks 117 among 192 nations in terms of sustainable development – it is now behind all South Asian nations except Pakistan * 67 million Indians died due to air pollution in 2019. The economic cost was over US $36,000 million, equivalent to 1.36 per cent of India’s GDP * Contrary to popular belief, India’s rivers did not see any significant improvement in their water quality during the lockdown. Of India’s 19 major rivers, five – including Ganga – ran dirtier in the Covid-19 period. * 438 plant species (of which 95 per cent are flowering plants, including food crops) and 889 vertebrates and invertebrates are threatened or on the verge of extinction. These are some of the facts surfaced thanks to the Centre for Science and Environment's (CSE’s) deep dive in the study of environmental degradation, raw data and numerous field reports, put together in the form of CSE’s annual State of India’s Environment (SoE), 2021. “The overall assessment is that our air and water quality is under stress; all trends show that pollution is increasing and this has massive impacts on our health. Even during the lockdown, data shows that river pollution did not reduce. Clearly, we need to do much more to improve the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink,” said Sunita Narain, director general, CSE and editor, Down to Earth, while releasing the annual publication. “The good news is that we are learning to do things differently. We are adopting technologies that will be affordable to large numbers and sustainable. This is where the answer will be – in differently done sewage treatment, to mobility systems that will move people and not cars,” she added. “From climate change, industry, air pollution and water to rural development, renewable energy, waste, habitat and forest, the 2021 edition – like its predecessors – covers it all, and more. It also has three special sections: an assessment of the pandemic and its impacts a year after, a data analysis of how India’s states are faring on environment and development parameters, and a tribute to the decade of biodiversity,” said Richard Mahapatra, managing editor of Down To Earth: “The challenge also is to use the environment for development, so that in these climate-risked times we can improve livelihood, nutrition security and build resilience of communities. SoE 2021 looks at the climate change threat from extreme weather events on one hand, and the success of MNREGA in building ecological assets like water structures on the other. We need to invest in building natural resource-based economies which are both sustainable and also create local wealth and wellbeing,” said Narain.

• Down To Earth

Data drive: The pandemic generation

Although the western world is bearing the brunt of Covid-19 with cases rising and deaths piling up, the after effects of the pandemic will be borne by low- and low-middle income countries. Although the western world is bearing the brunt of Covid-19 with cases rising and deaths piling up, the after effects of the pandemic will be borne by low- and low-middle income countries. The Centre for Science and Environment’s State of the Environment 2021 report shows that children under the age of five in low-income countries are going to be five times more affected than children in higher income countries. In the higher income countries, the largest impact will be on school-going children. While income decline in low-income countries (LICs) is less than the higher income ones—these instituted harsher lockdowns—poverty is also expected to increase which would ultimately impact LICs. The report states that the world will not meet SDG by 2030 and even in the best case scenario—which envisages a 9.9% per capita growth and 50% reduction in income inequality—nearly 3% of the population shall remain extremely poor.

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India’s Forests Expanded This Decade, Yet Indigenous Communities Are Still Being Forced Out: Report

India’s total amount of forest cover expanded over the past decade, according to the “State of India’s Environment 2021,” a new joint report by the Centre for Science and Environment and Downtoearth.org. But forest cover is not the same as forested land, which is increasingly being lost to industry and development. The definition of forest cover used by the Forest Survey of India allows gardens, orchards, plantations, and even the trees lining roads to be counted as forest cover. “It is a case of mistaking trees for forests, quite literally,” according to the report. Forest land, by contrast, is static on paper, designated as such in government records. Even as industrial projects are increasingly being allowed on this land, the area is still recorded as forested land. Combined, this means, that even as India made overall gains in total tree cover, the number of trees within forest land reduced. Only 5.1 lakh square kilometers of trees actually cover 7.6 lakh square kilometers of India’s forests. The area of difference is increasingly devoted to irrigation, mining, and infrastructure projects. Plus, India’s widespread groundwater depletion signals irrigation projects are only likely to become more prevalent and critical. In addition, mining has already expanded, which means actual forested land is likely to continue to be lost. Related on The Swaddle: Rajasthan’s Wildlife Board Rezones Protected Forest to Allow Mining of Unique Sandstone As a result, biodiversity will be more and more threatened. Already, the reallocation of forested land to industry and development has had an effect on India’s tiger population. While India recorded an increase in the overall tiger population over the last five years, “five states — Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana — which have the largest forestland diversions for mining are also the states that registered a decline in their tiger populations,” according to the report. More importantly, however, communities indigenous to forests will continue to be forced out of their homeland. The homes of one million forest-dwelling people have been caught up in long, drawn-out legal battles over eviction since early 2019, which the convoluted bureaucracy ostensibly designed to protect their rights seems ill-equipped to efficiently resolve. Additionally, eight coal mining projects since 2015 are on forested land originally deemed inviolate by the Forest Survey of India. Among other things, these will lead to a total loss of more than 1 million trees and the eviction of more than 10,000 families — roughly half a million people, by estimating off of India’s average family size. When not battling eviction from their homes, forest communities face threats to their livelihoods. One such threat is the practice of fragmenting an industrial project, which spreads out industrial activities across patches of non-forest land interspersed with forested land. It’s a loophole in the frameworks actually intended to preserve forest land and people, and it ignores the interconnected nature of ecosystems, critics argue. “[Approval] is not given for a patch of land, but for the entire project. There will be issues of underground water, rivers, and people’s rights under the Forest Rights Act. How will that be taken care of?” the report quotes Supreme Court lawyer Shomona Khanna. At best, the forested patches between the project land will be polluted or their resources drained away by the industry, at worst, communities have no other option but to move on because of this. Until the true area of forested land is reflected in Indian records, it’s unlikely any of this will be solved. Acknowledging that forested land requires actual tree cover means acknowledging official activities have ravaged the biodiversity and communities who were there first — and that maybe, just maybe, those communities deserve a bigger say in how that land is used. The end of 2020 brought a draft of “new guidelines that give gram sabhas more power in the management of community forest rights (cfr) and habitat rights….” Hopefully, next year’s report will say the guidelines have been enacted — and maybe even implemented.

• Down To Earth

COVID Pandemic Will Leave 375 Mn Children With Poor Health & Educational Losses, Says Report

The country is all set to usher in a ‘pandemic generation’, with 375 million children (from newborns to 14-year-olds) likely to suffer long-lasting impacts, ranging from being underweight, stunting and increased child mortality, to losses in education and work productivity according to the State of India’s Environment (2021) Annual reports. “The defining event of the year that has gone by has been the COVID-19 pandemic, something which the world is still struggling to come to terms with. The time has now come to investigate what the pandemic is going to leave behind for us in the longer term – a lost generation, scarred by ill-health, malnourishment, acute poverty and a debilitating break in educational accomplishments. This is what the State of India’s Environment Annual reports and brings to life,” said Sunita Narain, director general, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and editor, Down To Earth, while releasing the annual publication. Portraits Of Children Show How Childhood Is Different Around The World BCCL The SoE – as the State of India’s Environment report is referred to – is an annual publication of Down To Earth magazine, brought out in association with CSE. The 2021 edition, a 442-page compendium of news, views and analysis, was jointly released here today at an online event by over 60 environmental thinkers and activists, journalists and academics from across India. What the 2021 annual report says The country is all set to usher in a 'pandemic generation': 375 million children (from newborn to 14-year-olds) may suffer long-lasting impacts, ranging from being underweight, stunting and increased child mortality, to losses in education and work productivity. The pandemic also has its hidden victims -- over 500 million children forced out of school globally. Asymptomatic COVID-19, Asymptomatic COVID-19 Spread, Asymptomatic COVID-19 Kids, Asymptomatic COVID-19 Virus Load Reuters India accounts for more than 50 per cent of them. “Covid-19 has made the world’s poor poorer,” says Narain: 115 million additional people might get pushed into extreme poverty by the pandemic – and most of them live in South Asia. students Representational Image In her appraisal in the SoE, Narain adds: “The pandemic is a shock response to our dystopian relationship with nature. It has amplified the inequity and deep divisions in our world. The places where the disease is most likely to breed is where there are no urban services; where settlements are overcrowded; where water supply and sanitation is inadequate; and where people have no way to stay safe.”

• Down To Earth

CSE’s State of Environment Report: Inching Closer to Ecological Disasters

‘The pandemic has demonstrated another brutal reality: A crisis’ impacts trickle faster to the poor. It is estimated that 12,000 more people would die every day due to hunger extended by the pandemic,’ the report said. Amid an ongoing pandemic and the worsening of climate systems across the globe, the Center for Science and Environment’s State of Environment report cautioned that the world is inching closer to ecological disasters. The report, released at an online event on February 25, highlighted the degradation of systems that have led to the creation of the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe, and said the world will face pandemics like the current one more frequently. It added that the adult generation of 2040 would be stunted with a lower human capital and that it would be the toughest developmental challenge for the world due to the impact of the pandemic. “The pandemic has demonstrated another brutal reality: A crisis’s impacts trickle faster to the poor. It is estimated that 12,000 more people would die every day due to hunger extended by the pandemic,” it added. In a chapter on COVID-19, the report stated: “Deforestation for large-scale industrial animal husbandry is thus tantamount to inviting these viruses into our future most electronic devices are made from materials extracted from mines of metals and minerals, such as copper, nickel, silver and cobalt. Most of these mines are in old forests, which have to be cleared and habitats destroyed to start mining there. That’s how we end up bringing viruses closer to us.” “We are currently faced with multiple crises, including ones like the ongoing pandemic. Amidst this, it is key to focus on the environmental crisis we are creating which is leading to more vulnerabilities among the marginalised communities, those who are on the front-lines of witnessing the effects of climate change,” Director of CSE, Sunita Narain, said. The report highlighted how the ongoing climate crisis is creating newer vulnerabilities at the cost of the marginalised communities. “Livelihoods of many workers depend on industrialisation. Their course is restricted use of resources and revival of natural ecosystems. This would mean using resources responsibly and restoring areas back to their original glory after extraction has ended. Urbanisation is increasing and biodiversity diminishing,” it added. At the launch of the report, Biswajit Mohanty, secretary, Wildlife Society of Odisha, said that India’s ecology and environment “have never faced such enormous pressure and degradation, driven by rapacious corporate interests growth is happening at unforgivable and irreversible damage, sustainability, ecology and law have been cast aside to fatten the balance sheets while our policy makers and regulators are silent.” Last year witnessed massive campaigns against one of the moves by the Narendra Modi government to pave way for easier environmental clearances for corporates to envisage projects in vulnerable-eco sensitive zones. CSE has critiqued the EC process and recommended ways in which it can be streamlined (for ease of doing business) and strengthened (for environmental and social integrity). Some of these are to consolidate clearances—environmental, forest, wildlife, coastal—and make the document public so that the project impact is fully understood and decisions taken are timely. The assessment should be openly scrutinised to take care of people’s concerns. The report stated: “Currently, these committees are not responsible to ensure the projects cleared do not have a serious environmental impact. They delay clearances by repeatedly asking for information, or they clear with a list of conditions, knowing the conditions will not be monitored, or may not even be feasible.” Amid this rapid industrialisation, India’s power plants have already pleaded for a delayed deadline to meet the new standards beyond 2022. The study by CSE has shown that about 70% of the power plants in the country cannot meet the standards by 2022. The recovery package calls for private investments and ease-of-doing business in the coal sector for accelerated commercial coal mining, and removes end-use restrictions. Rules on ash content of coal have been waived off. This will flood the market with dirtier and cheaper coal leading to more vulnerabilities for indigenous populations as well as natural resources. Activist and journalist Patricia Mukhim, while discussing the state of mining in Meghalaya said, “It is being projected as if there is no coal mining, but on the ground, coal mining is ongoing without protocols, polluting river systems causing acid rains from the mining activity.” The report also elaborated on the ethics of landscape conservation, agro-ecological systems of food production and of controlled fire interventions, among several other methods, as the way forward. It laid special emphasis on the involvement of the indegeous communities to ensure planetary justice.

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Death Of 800 Olive Ridley Sea Turtles: Orissa High Court Constitutes Panel To Study The Cause Of Deaths, Give Suggestions For Their Protection

The formed a three-member Panel, inter alia, to hold consultations with stakeholders and to suggest what steps need to be immediately taken- in the short term, in the medium term and the long term- to ensure that the earlier directions issued by the Court are complied with and that the protection of the Olive Ridley turtles during the nesting season is ensured. The Bench of Chief Justice Dr. S. Muralidhar and Chief Justice B. P. Olive Ridley Turtles] which was registered toking into cognizance Down to Earth Magazine's report (dated 04 February) based on the death of around 800 Olive Ridley sea turtles. On 24thFebruary, the had issued notices to the Government of Odisha, among others, to apprise the Court of the steps taken to deal with the crisis on an urgent basis. State Government's submission An affidavit dated 25thFebruary, 2021 was filed by Divisional Forest Officer, Mangrove Forest Division (Wildlife), Rajnagar which enlisted the steps taken for protection and monitoring of turtles from November, 2020 till March, 2021. Some important points in the affidavit: As per the decision of the High-Level Committee for protection and conservation of Olive Ridley Sea turtles, chaired by the Chief Secretary to Government of Odisha, the DRDO authority at Wheeler Island and the Dhamra Port authority has been dimming the lights at their respective establishments near the nesting beach during the season; The missile testing is also being kept on hold during this period. 30 boats involved in illegal fishing in Gahirmatha (Marine) Wildlife Sanctuary have been seized and 167 persons have been arrested. 15 floating buoys are being installed along the boundary of the sanctuary to prevent the entry of fishing trawlers and the process of such installation will be completed by March, 2021 Because of the efforts of the stakeholders, the mortality of turtles has reduced significantly to less than 50% this year as compared to previous years. 3.

• Down To Earth

India: Environmental crime cases piles up, with snail-pace disposal – Report

Over 50,000 cases pending trial; clearing backlog requires tackling 137 cases per day * Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra states top the charts A joint report by India-based Down To Earth and Centre for Science and Environment, CSE, has revealed that environmental crime cases piling up, with courts disposing the cases at snail-pace in India. The “2021 State of India’s Environment (SoE) report”, which was released on Saturday at an online event, was attanded by over 60 environmental thinkers, activists, journalists and academics from across India, and a copy mailed to ASHENEWS. It observed that though with a drop in the number of wildlife crimes in India between 2019 and 2020, the country sees only two cases recorded every day. See the proceedings of the release event and other details: https://www.cseindia.org/state-of-india-s-environment-2021-10694 The report details that while 34,671 environment-related crimes were registered in 2019, over 7,000 were pending police investigation and almost 50,000 cases were pending trial in courts. Of these it added, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra states, accounted for 77 per cent of India’s wildlife crimes in 2019 and between 2018 and 2019, some states saw an increase in wildlife crimes, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal and all the states of the northeast. “We have a long way to go, when it comes to dealing with environmental crimes,” says Down To Earth’s wildlife and forest reporter Ishan Kukreti. “At the rate at which we are going, courts will need to dispose of a humungous 137 cases a day to clear the existing backlog within a year.” The courts are, understandably, stretched. In 2019, the average number of cases (under all environment and pollution-related laws) they managed to dispose of every day stood at about 86. The SoE’s analysis shows that in all of 2019, only 0.13 cases under the EPA (Environment (Protection) Act) could be disposed of every day – at this rate, courts would take more than 20 years to clear the backlog of cases under this Act. Similarly, cases under the Wildlife Protection Act (a mere 0.66 were disposed off per day in 2019) would take over 13 years. Says Down To Earth managing editor Richard Mahapatra: “The maximum number of cases that courts are managing to dispose of currently come under the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act and the Noise Pollution Act. We need to clear the backlog under the other laws as well. Environmental crimes – as the United Nations has pointed out – have the potential to threaten security and sustainable development of nations, and must be dealt with a heavy hand.”

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The Prime Minister of India, Hon. Shri Narendra Modi to Deliver Keynote Remarks at CERAWeek by IHS Markit 2021 and Receive the CERAWeek Global Energy and Environmental Leadership Award

CERAWeek by IHS Markit—the world’s preeminent energy conference—to be held virtually March 1-5, 2021. Learn more at www.ceraweek.com. Prime Minister Modi will participate in a special plenary with Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of IHS Markit and conference chair on Friday, March 5. He will also receive the prestigious CERAWeek Global Energy and Environment Leadership Award in recognition of his commitment to sustainability in energy and the environment. CERAWeek by IHS Markit is the premier annual international gathering of energy industry leaders, experts, government officials and policymakers, leaders from the technology, financial and industrial communities – and energy technology innovators. “We are pleased to warmly welcome the Honorable Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, to CERAWeek by IHS Markit 2021,” Yergin said. “In charting its path towards economic growth, poverty reduction and a new energy future, India has emerged at the center of global energy and the environment, and its leadership is crucial to meet climate objectives for a sustainable future while ensuring universal energy access. We look forward to Prime Minister Modi’s perspectives on the role of the world’s largest democracy and are pleased to honor him with the CERAWeek Global Energy and Environment Leadership Award for his commitment to expanding India’s leadership in sustainable development to meet the country’s, and the world’s, future energy needs.” CERAWeek 2021: The New Map: Energy, Climate and Charting the Future will examine a new global map being shaped by dramatic shifts in energy and geopolitics—a map defined by changing policies, technology, alliances, geopolitics, and possibly collisions in global commerce and politics. Inspired by the new book, The New Map: Energy, Climate and the Clash of Nations by IHS Markit Vice Chairman and CERAWeek Chairman Daniel Yergin, the conference program will focus on key themes related to Energy Transition; Geopolitics, Economics and Markets; Investment and Financing; Technology and Innovation; Mobility and the Future Workforce. 2021 marks the 39th edition of the conference and is the first time that it will be an all-virtual event. The conference is produced by IHS Markit (NYSE:INFO), a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions. CERAWeek 2021 and the related Innovation Agora will feature more than 245 speakers from 29 countries. Speakers will include (partial list): John F. Kerry – special presidential envoy for climate, United States Bill Gates – co-chair, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and founder, Breakthrough Energy Amin Nasser – president and CEO, Saudi Aramco Bernard Looney – group chief executive, BP Ben van Beurden – CEO, Royal Dutch Shell Patrick Pouyanné – chairman and CEO, TOTAL SE Ryan Lance – chairman and CEO, ConocoPhillips Vicki Hollub – president and CEO, Occidental Petroleum Mike Wirth – chairman of the board and CEO, Chevron H.E. Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo – secretary general, OPEC Gina McCarthy – national climate advisor, The White House Hon. Joe Manchin – chairman, U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator, State of West Virginia Hon. Daniel Sullivan – U.S. Senator, State of Alaska Lynn J. Good – chairman, president and CEO, Duke Energy Hon. Shri Dharmendra Pradhan – minister of petroleum and natural gas and minister of steel, Government of India Noubar Afeyan – co-founder and chairman, Moderna Pratima Rangarajan – CEO, OGCI Climate Investments Hon. Tina Bru, minister of petroleum and energy, Norway Hon. Sylvester Turner – mayor, City of Houston S.M. Vaidya – chairman, Indian Oil Corporation Susan Hockfield – president emerita and professor of neuroscience, MIT Walter Isaacson – author and professor of history, Tulane University Allison Herren Lee – acting chair, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Sunita Narain – director general, Centre for Science and Environment Ben Fowke – chairman of the board, president and CEO, Xcel Energy Nick Akins – chairman, president and CEO, AEP Ignacio S. Galán – chairman and CEO, Iberdrola S.A. Daren Woods – chairman and CEO, Exxon Mobil Corporation Hon. Kathy Castor – U.S. Representative, 14 Congressional District, State of Florida

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देश अब एक ‘महामारी जनरेशन’ में प्रवेश करने के लिए तैयार, बच्चों में दिखेगा कोरोना का कुप्रभाव

संजीव गुप्ता, नई दिल्ली। कोविड-19 संक्रमण भले ही कम हो गया हो और इसकी वैक्सीन भी आ गई हो, लेकिन इस महामारी का कुप्रभाव अभी वर्षो तक देखने को मिलेगा। खासकर बच्चों का शारीरिक विकास इससे सर्वाधिक प्रभावित होगा। बच्चों की मृत्युदर में भी इजाफा हो सकता है और उनकी पढ़ाई-लिखाई भी बीच में ही छूट सकती है। यह दावा किया गया है सेंटर फार साइंस एंड एन्वायरमेंट (सीएसई) की वार्षिक रिपोर्ट स्टेट आफ इंडियाज एन्वायरमेंट 2021 में। सीएसई की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण सहित देश भर के 60 से अधिक पर्यावरणविदें ने एक साथ यह रिपोर्ट बृहस्पतिवार शाम वर्चुअली जारी की। इस रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक भारत अब एक ‘महामारी जनरेशन’ में प्रवेश करने के लिए तैयार है। 37.5 करोड़ बच्चे (नवजात शिशु से लेकर 14 साल के बच्चों तक) लंबे समय तक चलने वाले कोरोना के कुप्रभावों की चपेट में आ सकते हैं। उनकी रोग प्रतिरोधक क्षमता प्रभावित होने से यह कुप्रभाव कम वजन, कम लंबाई और मृत्यु दर में वृद्धि से लेकर शिक्षा के नुकसान के रूप में भी सामने आ सकता है। अब इस मार्ग पर यातायात सुगम होने की उम्मीद बढ़ गई है। विश्व भर में पचास करोड़ से ज्यादा बच्चे स्कूल से बाहर हो गए हैं। इसमें आधे से ज्यादा बच्चे भारत में हैं। रिपोर्ट में यह भी बताया गया है कि पूर्ण लाकडाउन के बावजूद भारत संक्रमण मुक्त नहीं रहा। यहां आबादी का एक बड़ा हिस्सा स्लम, झुग्गी-झोपड़ियों और घनी आबादी वाले क्षेत्रों में रहता है। वहां न तो पीने का साफ पानी उपलब्ध है और न सफाई ठीक से होती है। ऐसे में संक्रमण फैलने की गुंजाइश रहती है। कान्क्लेव की अध्यक्षता पीएचडी चेंबर आफ कामर्स एंड इंडस्ट्रीज के हरियाणा चेप्टर के अध्यक्ष प्रणब गुप्ता ने की। बाघों की संख्या बढ़ी, मगर घट गया वन क्षेत्र देश में वनस्पति और वन्य जीव खतरे में हैं। पर्यावरण संबंधी अपराध के मामले बढ़ रहे हैं, पर उनका निपटान धीमा है। वर्ष 2019 में 34,671 अपराध दर्ज किए गए, जबकि 49,877 मामले लंबित हैं। सरकारी दावा है कि वर्ष 2017 के बाद से भारत का वन क्षेत्र 5,188 वर्ग किमी हो गया है। हालांकि सीएसई इससे इत्तेफाक नहीं रखता। बाघों को लेकर भी आंकड़ा भ्रमित करता है। सरकारी दावा है कि भारत में 714 बाघों को जोड़ा है, पर बाघों के कब्जे वाला क्षेत्र 17,000 वर्ग किमी (पिछले चार सालों में) पहले से सिकुड़ गया है। राजीव चौक के बाद ये दूसरा सबसे गहरा मेट्रो स्टेशन बन गया है। Delhi Metro News: जानिए दिल्ली मेट्रो नेटवर्क में किस लाइन पर और कहां है सबसे गहरा मेट्रो स्टेशन यह भी पढ़ें सतत विकास में भारत 192 में से 117वें नंबर पर सतत विकास के मामले में भारत 192 देशों में से 117वें स्थान पर है। हैरत की बात यह कि अब भारत पाकिस्तान को छोड़ सभी दक्षिण एशियाई देशों से भी पीछे हो गया है। सतत विकास के लक्ष्यों को पूरा करने के मामले में देश में सबसे अच्छा प्रदर्शन वाले पांच राज्य केरल, हिमाचल प्रदेश, आंध्र प्रदेश, तमिलनाडु और तेलंगाना हैं, जबकि सबसे खराब प्रदर्शन करने वाले पांच राज्य बिहार, झारखंड, अरुणाचल प्रदेश, मेघालय और उत्तर प्रदेश हैं। चार्टर्ड विमानों के लिए शुरू किए गए जनरल एविएशन टर्मिनल से हवाई यात्रियों का समय बच रहा है। अब यह जांच करने का समय आ गया है कि कोरोना महामारी हमारे लिए दीर्घावधि में क्या छोड़ने वाली है। एक खोई हुई पीढ़ी, जो अस्वस्थता, कुपोषण, गरीबी और शैक्षणिक उपलब्धियों में दुर्बलता से घिरी हुई है। चुनौती यह भी है कि पर्यावरण का उपयोग सतत विकास के लिए किया जाए, ताकि जलवायु-जोखिम वाले समय में हम आजीविका, पोषण सुरक्षा में सुधार कर सकें। (-सुनीता नारायण, महानिदेशक, सीएसई)

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चिंताजनक : महामारी से 37.5 करोड़ बच्चों की सेहत प्रभावित, 50 करोड़ बच्चों का स्कूल छूटा

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एन्वॉयरनमेंट (सीएसई) की स्टेट ऑफ इंडिया इन्वॉयरमेंट रिपोर्ट के 2021 अनुसार, कोरोना महामारी के कारण देश भर में 37.5 करोड़ बच्चों के स्वास्थ्य और आर्थिक हालात पर स्थायी असर पड़ा है। सीएसई की महानिदेशक डॉ. सुनीता नारायण ने रिपोर्ट जारी करते हुए बताया, नवजात से लेकर 14 वर्ष तक के बच्चों को स्वास्थ्य संबंधी तकलीफें ज्यादा होंगी। इसमें बच्चों का कम वजन, उम्र के अनुसार, शारीरिक विकास न होना और मृत्यु दर में बढ़ोतरी की आशंका है। बच्चों की खराब सेहत के कारण शिक्षा और कार्य क्षेत्र में भी दुष्प्रभाव देखने को मिल सकता है। ऑनलाइन जारी की गई इस रिपोर्ट को दुनियाभर के साथ पर्यावरण और अन्य विशेषज्ञों ने मिलकर तैयार किया है। बढ़ता प्रदूषण सेहत के लिए और घातक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, बीमारी, कुपोषण, अत्यंत गरीबी जैसी समस्याओं से मुश्किल होगी। हवा और पानी में प्रदूषण स्तर बढ़ने का सीधा असर स्वास्थ्य पर पड़ रहा है। लॉकडाउन में भी नदियों के प्रदूषण में कोई कमी नहीं आई है। सांस लेने के लिए हवा और पीने के लिए साफ पानी के लिए बहुत बड़े स्तर पर काम करना होगा। महाराष्ट्र का तारापुर प्रदूषित क्लस्टर केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड के अनुसार, देश के 88 प्रमुख औद्योगिक कलस्टर में से 35 में समग्र रूप से पर्यावरण में गिरावट आई है। 33 स्थानों पर हवा की गुणवत्ता खराब, 45 स्थानों पर साल भर दूषित पानी जबकि 17 स्थानों पर भूमि प्रदूषण अधिक था। महाराष्ट्र का तारापुर सबसे प्रदूषित क्लस्टर था। महामारी से 50 करोड़ बच्चों का स्कूल छूटा महामारी के कारण दुनिया भर में 50 करोड़ बच्चों का स्कूल छूट गया। इसमें से 50 फीसदी से ज्यादा बच्चे भारत में है। सुनीता नारायण ने कहा, महामारी के कारण अतिरिक्त 115 करोड़ लोग अत्यंत गरीबी के दायरे में आ चुके हैं। इसमें से अधिकतर दक्षिण एशिया में रहते हैं। 192 देशों में भारत 117वें स्थान पर सतत विकास लक्ष्य हासिल करने में भारत दुनिया भर के 192 देशों की सूची में 117वें स्थान पर है। पाकिस्तान को छोड़कर सभी दक्षिण एशियाई देशों से पीछे हैं। सतत विकास लक्ष्यों को पाने में 5 राज्य केरल, हिमाचल प्रदेश, आंध्र प्रदेश, तमिलनाडु और तेलंगाना बेहतर है। बिहार, अरुणाचल प्रदेश, मेघालय और यूपी सबसे पीछे हैं। 2025 तक स्क्रैपेज नीति की जरूरत रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, भारत को वर्ष 2025 तक वाहनों के स्क्रैपेज के लिए नीति की जरूरत होगी। देश में दो करोड़ वाहन ऐसे हैं जिनका जीवन अंत की ओर है। अगर सही समय पर इनका निस्तारण नहीं किया गया तो आने वाले समय में यह पर्यावरण के लिए सबसे बड़ी चुनौती बनेंगे। भारत में वर्ष 2019 में 16.70 लाख लोगों की मौत वायु प्रदूषण के कारण हुई हैं। 889 जीवों पर मंडरा रहा खतरा भारत में 430 पौधे जिसमें 95 फीसदी फूल और खाद्य पदार्थ वाले हैं। वे खात्मे की कगार पर हैं। रीढ़ और रीढ़ विहीन 889 जीवों पर भी खतरा मंडरा रहा है। पर्यावरण से जुड़े आपराधिक मामले बढ़े हैं। 2019 में 24,671 केस दर्ज हुए थे जबकि 49,877 मामले लंबित हैं।