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बिना किसी बाध्यता के मिले प्रदूषण मुक्त आबोहवा : सुनीता नारायण

कोरोना महामारी के बीच लॉकडाउन-अनलॉक में दिल्ली का पर्यावरण ही बेहतर नहीं हुआ, बल्कि इससे भविष्य को लेकर एक उम्मीद भी जगी है। साफ हवा में हर कोई खुलकर सांस ले रहा है। आगे ऐसी ही स्थिति कैसे बनाए रखी जा सकती है और इसके लिए क्या योजनाएं बनाई जानी चाहिए, इन विषयों को लेकर नईदुनिया के सहयोगी प्रकाशन दैनिक जागरण के संजीव गुप्ता ने जानी--मानी पर्यावरणविद व सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट (सीएसई) की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण से लंबी बातचीत की। प्रस्तुत हैं मुख्य अंश :--

Housing and Urban Affairs Minister launches toolkit for Swachh Survekshan 2021

Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri today launched the toolkit for Swachh Survekshan-2021, the sixth edition of the annual cleanliness survey of urban India conducted by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Addressing on the occasion, Mr Puri said, every year, the Swachh Survekshan is redesigned innovatively, to ensure that the process becomes more robust, with focus on sustaining the behaviour change.

Nigeria: Tree-Planting Campaigns Can Reduce, Not Improve Biodiversity, Says New Study

A new study published in Nature Sustainability journal on June 22, 2020 says poorly-designed and poorly-enforced campaigns to plant a large number of trees could be counterproductive, Tree plantations can contradict the real purpose of planting trees, according to the study, presented in a recent DownToEarth magazine, published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) based in New Delhi, India. There was a high risk that tree plantations could contradict the real purpose of planting trees, said Eric Lambin, the study's co-author a professor in Stanford University's School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences, according to DownToEarth. Plantations that were poorly enforced could be responsible for releasing more carbon and losing biodiversity, Lambin added. Forests have the biggest role to play in slowing down biodiversity loss from human interventions and in combating climate change as they sequester carbon as biomass. Keeping carbon sequestration and increasing biodiversity in mind, campaigns to plant trees gained a lot of traction in recent years. The Bonn Challenge seeks to restore forest area more than eight times the size of the state of California in the US by 2030. Similarly, the Trillion Trees campaign aims to plant a trillion trees across the world. Doing so without paying attention to local forest cover, however, would hinder such aims, said the study, taking into account the impact of subsidies given for such campaigns -- the first of its kind to do so. "In light of global enthusiasm to plant a trillion trees, it's important to reflect on the impact of past policies," said the study's lead author Robert Heilmayr, an assistant professor at University of California, Santa Barbara, US. The researchers looked at one of the world's longest-running and influential subsidy policy: Chile's Decree Law 701. The law subsidised 75 per cent of afforestation costs and offered support for ongoing plantation management. Poor enforcement and budget limitations led to a situation where government subsidies replaced native forests with profitable tree plantations. This in turn reduced native forest cover, with plantations, shrublands or marginal agricultural lands cropping up in areas where forests may have naturally regenerated, according to the study. In the same way, it was found that nearly 80 per cent of the Bonn Challenge campaign commitments involved planting monoculture tree plantations or a limited mix of trees that produced products like fruit or rubber, instead of restoring natural forests. Plantations sequester less carbon, are involved in less habitat creation and erosion control than natural forests. If planted trees replace forests like grasslands or savannahs, the potential for replenishing biodiversity is lost, as such natural forest ecosystems have evolved to support unique, local biodiversity. Plantations can, thus, only work if plantations efforts include strong subsidy restrictions, including prohibitions against replacing native forests with plantations.

Ozone level highs dampen air pollution lows

Meena Janardhan Lower levels of suspended particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels during the lockdown cleared air quality across India. But a new analysis of 22 mega and metropolitan cities in India, done by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) of summer air quality trends during the lockdown reveals other details. While the PM2.5 and NO2 curves fell and flattened dramatically in cities, tropospheric ozone pollution (henceforth ozone) increased and even breached standards in several cities: a fact that was not widely noticed. Invisible ozone became the most prominent pollutant in several cities. Instead of the official method of considering only the fixed eight-hour average (from 8 p.m. to 4 p.m.) to assess ozone levels, the CSE adapted the global best practice of calculating the maximum eight-hour average of the day. This indicated higher exceeding levels in cities. The CSE researchers point out that ozone is primarily a sunny weather problem in India that otherwise remains highly variable during the year. It is a highly reactive gas; even short-term exposure (one hour) is dangerous for those with respiratory conditions and asthma. That is why ozone has a short-term standard – one hour and eight hours, as opposed to 24 hours for other pollutants. Ozone is not directly emitted by any source but is formed by photochemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and gases in the air under the influence of sunlight and heat. Ozone can be controlled only if gases from all sources are controlled. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director-research and advocacy, CSE said, “This pandemic-led change in air quality has helped us understand summer pollution. Normally, every year, winter pollution is what draws our attention. The characteristics of summer pollution are different: there are high winds, intermittent rains and thunderstorms, and high temperature and heat waves. This is in contrast to winter — with its inversion, lower mixing height of air, and cold and calm conditions that trap the air and the pollutants in it.” The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) publishes the daily Air Quality Index (AQI) bulletin to inform about the severity of daily pollution. With all pollutants down, ozone, even at a comparatively lower level, became the most prominent pollutant of the day in several cities and led the daily AQI. “This pandemic has shown that big reduction is possible only if all regions clean up together and at a scale and with speed across all critical sectors including vehicles, industry, power plants, waste, construction, use of solid fuels for cooking and episodic burning. There is a need for an agenda for a ‘blue sky and clear lungs’ for the post-pandemic period to sustain the gains. This action must also ensure the co-benefit of reducing both particulate and gaseous emissions, including ozone,” Roychowdhury stressed. The ozone layer is a natural, protective layer of gas in the stratosphere (the second major layer in the Earth’s atmosphere). It lies approximately 25 miles above Earth’s surface. As NASA explains, 90% of the ozone in the atmosphere sits in the stratosphere, the layer of atmosphere between about 10 and 50 kilometers altitude. The natural level of ozone in the stratosphere is a result of a balance between sunlight that creates ozone and chemical reactions that destroy it. Ozone in the stratosphere absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. Without ozone, the Sun’s intense UV radiation would sterilize the Earth’s surface. In 1976, atmospheric research revealed that the ozone layer was being depleted by chemicals containing chlorine and bromine. These include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were commonly found in air conditioners, refrigerators and spray cans; halons, which are found in fire extinguishers; and methyl bromide, which is used to kill weeds, insects and other pests. In 1985, researchers discovered an ozone hole above Antarctica (later known as the ozone hole). The adoption of the Montreal Protocol in 1987 banned the production of CFCs, halons and other ozone-depleting chemicals. The ban came into effect in 1989 and led to ozone levels stabilizing by the mid-1990s and recovering in the 2000s. Recovery is projected to continue over the next century, and the ozone hole is expected to reach pre-1980 levels by around 2075.In 2019, NASA reported that the ozone hole was the smallest ever since it was first discovered in 1982.

India Air Purifier Market Market – Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2019 – 2027 | Eureka Forbes, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Honeywell

The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) of the Energy Policy Institute at the University Of Chicago (EPIC), stated in one of their statistics that, weighted pollution in Delhi alone reached 113.9 units in the year 2016 from 72.88 units in the year 2012. Research Nester has released a report titled “India Air Purifier Market – Regional Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2027” which also includes some of the prominent market analyzing parameters such as industry growth drivers, restraints, supply and demand risk, market attractiveness, year-on-year (Y-OY) growth comparisons, market share comparisons, BPS analysis, SWOT analysis and Porter’s five force model. The World Air Quality Index project (AQI) displayed the air quality level to 999 AQI on the 3rd of November’19, at around 2 pm. Moreover, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) stated in one of their reports that every third child in Delhi (India) alone have impaired lungs due to the high level of pollutants that are present in the air of the city. The report also added that life expectancy grew down by 2.6 years in India owing to outdoor and household air pollution together. Additionally, The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) of the Energy Policy Institute at the University Of Chicago (EPIC), stated in one of their statistics that, weighted pollution in Delhi alone reached 113.9 units in the year 2016 from 72.88 units in the year 2012. The statistics portray the severely growing concerns for the rising air pollution levels and the associated health threats that it possesses. Owing to various sources of pollution, for instance, agricultural practices, such as jhum cultivation, industrial pollutants, and road transport dusts amongst others, all of these factors are contributing towards greater air pollution in India. Owing to such a factor, there is a rising demand amongst individuals for devices that can provide filtered and fresh air, emitting all the hazardous particles present in the air. Additionally, with the rising gross national income of the nation, and anticipations for greater purchasing power of the individuals, coupled with rising awareness for health amongst people, all of these factors are anticipated to contribute significantly towards the growth of the India air purifier market. “The Final Report will cover the impact analysis of COVID-19 on this industry (Global and Regional Market).” Click to Download Sample Report: https://www.researchnester.com/samplerequest- 2083 The India air purifier market is anticipated to record robust CAGR over the forecast period, i.e. 2019-2027. The market is segmented by end user into residential, commercial and others. Among all these segments, residential segment is anticipated to hold largest market share on the back of rising concerns for air borne diseases that can affect the children, who may generally have a weak immune system and are likely to remain susceptible to such diseases. However, the concern for restrictions in the purchase of the product by lowincome populations owing to high endproduct cost and greater maintenance cost is estimated to act as a barrier to the growth of the India air purifier market during the forecast period. This report also studies existing competitive scenario of some of the key players of the India air purifier market, which includes profiling of Eureka Forbes, Koninklijke Philips N.V. (AMS: PHIA), Honeywell (NYSE: HON), Kent RO Systems Ltd., Blueair, Panasonic India, Crusaders, Sharp Business System India Pvt. Ltd., Daikin Airconditioning India Pvt. Ltd., and Dyson Technology India Pvt. Ltd. “The Final Report will cover the impact analysis of COVID-19 on this industry (Global and Regional Market).” The profiling enfolds key information of the companies which comprises of business overview, products and services, key financials and recent news and developments. Conclusively, the report titled “India Air Purifier Market – Regional Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2027”, analyses the overall India air purifier industry to help new entrants to understand the details of the market. In addition to that, this report also guides existing players looking for expansion and major investors looking for investment in the India air purifier market in the near future. Research Nester is a one-stop service provider, leading in strategic market research and consulting with an unbiased and unparalleled approach towards helping global industrial players, conglomerates and executives to make wise decisions for their future investment and expansion by providing them qualitative market insights and strategies while avoiding future uncertainties. We believe in honesty and sheer hard work that we trust is reflected in our work ethics. Our vision is not just limited to gain the trust of our clients but also to be equally respected by our employees and being appreciated by the competitors.

Tree-planting Campaigns Can Reduce, Not Improve Biodiversity, Says new Study

A new study published in Nature Sustainability journal on June 22, 2020 says poorly-designed and poorly-enforced campaigns to plant a large number of trees could be counterproductive, Tree plantations can contradict the real purpose of planting trees, according to the study, presented in a recent DownToEarth magazine, published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) based in New Delhi, India. There was a high risk that tree plantations could contradict the real purpose of planting trees, said Eric Lambin, the study’s co-author a professor in Stanford University’s School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences, according to DownToEarth. Plantations that were poorly enforced could be responsible for releasing more carbon and losing biodiversity, Lambin added. Forests have the biggest role to play in slowing down biodiversity loss from human interventions and in combating climate change as they sequester carbon as biomass. Keeping carbon sequestration and increasing biodiversity in mind, campaigns to plant trees gained a lot of traction in recent years. The Bonn Challenge seeks to restore forest area more than eight times the size of the state of California in the US by 2030. Similarly, the Trillion Trees campaign aims to plant a trillion trees across the world. Doing so without paying attention to local forest cover, however, would hinder such aims, said the study, taking into account the impact of subsidies given for such campaigns — the first of its kind to do so. “In light of global enthusiasm to plant a trillion trees, it’s important to reflect on the impact of past policies,” said the study’s lead author Robert Heilmayr, an assistant professor at University of California, Santa Barbara, US. The researchers looked at one of the world’s longest-running and influential subsidy policy: Chile’s Decree Law 701. The law subsidised 75 per cent of afforestation costs and offered support for ongoing plantation management. Poor enforcement and budget limitations led to a situation where government subsidies replaced native forests with profitable tree plantations. This in turn reduced native forest cover, with plantations, shrublands or marginal agricultural lands cropping up in areas where forests may have naturally regenerated, according to the study. In the same way, it was found that nearly 80 per cent of the Bonn Challenge campaign commitments involved planting monoculture tree plantations or a limited mix of trees that produced products like fruit or rubber, instead of restoring natural forests. Plantations sequester less carbon, are involved in less habitat creation and erosion control than natural forests. If planted trees replace forests like grasslands or savannahs, the potential for replenishing biodiversity is lost, as such natural forest ecosystems have evolved to support unique, local biodiversity. Plantations can, thus, only work if plantations efforts include strong subsidy restrictions, including prohibitions against replacing native forests with plantations.

Nigeria: Tree-Planting Campaigns Can Reduce, Not Improve Biodiversity, Says New Study

A new study published in Nature Sustainability journal on June 22, 2020 says poorly-designed and poorly-enforced campaigns to plant a large number of trees could be counterproductive, Tree plantations can contradict the real purpose of planting trees, according to the study, presented in a recent DownToEarth magazine, published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) based in New Delhi, India. There was a high risk that tree plantations could contradict the real purpose of planting trees, said Eric Lambin, the study's co-author a professor in Stanford University's School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences, according to DownToEarth. Plantations that were poorly enforced could be responsible for releasing more carbon and losing biodiversity, Lambin added. Forests have the biggest role to play in slowing down biodiversity loss from human interventions and in combating climate change as they sequester carbon as biomass. Keeping carbon sequestration and increasing biodiversity in mind, campaigns to plant trees gained a lot of traction in recent years. The Bonn Challenge seeks to restore forest area more than eight times the size of the state of California in the US by 2030. Similarly, the Trillion Trees campaign aims to plant a trillion trees across the world. Doing so without paying attention to local forest cover, however, would hinder such aims, said the study, taking into account the impact of subsidies given for such campaigns -- the first of its kind to do so. "In light of global enthusiasm to plant a trillion trees, it's important to reflect on the impact of past policies," said the study's lead author Robert Heilmayr, an assistant professor at University of California, Santa Barbara, US. The researchers looked at one of the world's longest-running and influential subsidy policy: Chile's Decree Law 701. The law subsidised 75 per cent of afforestation costs and offered support for ongoing plantation management. Poor enforcement and budget limitations led to a situation where government subsidies replaced native forests with profitable tree plantations. This in turn reduced native forest cover, with plantations, shrublands or marginal agricultural lands cropping up in areas where forests may have naturally regenerated, according to the study. In the same way, it was found that nearly 80 per cent of the Bonn Challenge campaign commitments involved planting monoculture tree plantations or a limited mix of trees that produced products like fruit or rubber, instead of restoring natural forests. Plantations sequester less carbon, are involved in less habitat creation and erosion control than natural forests. If planted trees replace forests like grasslands or savannahs, the potential for replenishing biodiversity is lost, as such natural forest ecosystems have evolved to support unique, local biodiversity. Plantations can, thus, only work if plantations efforts include strong subsidy restrictions, including prohibitions against replacing native forests with plantations.