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CSE launches report on how Indian farmers can deal with adverse weather conditions

The Centre for Science and Environment has released a report on how farmers can deal with adverse and changing weather conditions. The report is on agromet advisory systems—focusing on weather data collection and forecasting, agricultural expertise and analysis of crop data that can lead to generation of practical advice for farmers. The CSE underlines the need for similar assessments of agromet systems in other countries to build adaptation and resilience for “frontline victims of climate change”. The report on Agrometeorological Advisories in India was released at a webinar on ‘Weather and the Farmer’ by Sunita Narain, director general, CSE. Speaking at the release, Narain said, “We keep hearing that we have to give farmers a greater ability to cope with extreme weather events. How do we do it? What does it really mean? What we've done here is to put flesh and form into the word “adaptation”,” said Narain as she introduced the report. Researched and put together by CSE’s Climate Change Unit, the new report grew out of a mission to understand how climate adaptation actually works on the ground in vulnerable sectors. Apart from informing Indian policymaking, the broader aim of the report is two-fold, says Tarun Gopalakrishnan, one of the writers—“firstly, to shift the global debate about adaptation, which is currently stuck in disputes over how much additional finance is needed for adaptation, and the role of the public versus the private sector. Secondly, to use the Indian experience (positive and negative) to guide the development of similar tools in other climate-vulnerable countries.” The report assesses the agromet advisory system—the inter-linked institutions, technologies and actors who collect weather data to generate forecasts, and combine these forecasts with crop data and expertise to generate practical advice for farmers. This system is critical because, in theory, it can enable farmers to cope with increasing climate uncertainty, which is overwhelming traditional (as well a lot of scientific) knowledge of weather and cropping patterns. Developed under the primary leadership of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), India’s agromet system is understood as three connected systems—weather forecasting, crop data collection and research, and agricultural ‘extension’ (which reaches technology and expertise to farmers). The CSE report, therefore, breaks down the system into three sub-sectors—weather data and forecasting, creation of agromet advisories, and dissemination of advisories. Says Gopalakrishnan: “We see significant investment in technology in India, including in automatic weather stations and mobile technology to disseminate advisories. But there is a lack of quality control of data, gaps in data sharing, a lack of specificity in forecasts and advisories and uneven investment across different states. Worse, investment in critical human resources has decreased—especially the expertise required to create advisories tailored to farmers’ economic and geographical context, and the human power which trains farmers to implement the advice.” The CSE has made the following recommendations to help farmers tackle weather changes better: Define the responsibilities of different government ministries and departments—particularly the responsibility to collect and manage weather data versus crop data. The IMD could take over the responsibility to expand, coordinate and strengthen the weather forecasting system; the state agriculture departments should work on for improving crop data and the agro-portion of advisories. Coordinate priorities and budgets between Central and state governments, for developing district- and block-level infrastructure for data collection and specific advisory generation. Integrate weather data collected on a common platform—by law, all weather data collected in the country, public or private, and across government departments and levels, must flow into a central database. Support the private sector on its strengths, such as innovation, but ensure that agromet advisories remain a public good that are affordable for subsistence farmers. Provide viability gap financing to private sector to ensure standardisation of weather equipment and data, including metadata. Help states increase investments in (i) creating a demand for block/local-level satellite data, and (ii) local agromet expertise and numbers of extension professionals

Painting Tools Market Emerging Trends, Size, Status, Analysis and Forecast to 2025

The Painting Tools Market is set to grow from its current market value of more than USD 10 billion to over USD 15.5 billion, as reported in the latest study. Increasing demand for the modern painting tools due to its easy availability, consumer-friendly, and low-cost features as compared to the other conventional equipments will foster new opportunities for the painting tools market growth. Factors such as improved aesthetic appeal of walls, less wastage of paints, and ease in paint application on walls & ceilings will enhance the industry landscape. In addition, rising per capita income of the consumers owing to the significant development in the overall GDP of the countries will further enhance the business expansion. Rise in construction of smart commercial buildings along with shifting trend towards visibly striking textures smart homes, fueling the need for rollers and spray guns owing to their large surface area coverage. Positive application outlook providing smooth finish which improves the overall aesthetic appearance, also propelling the business growth. Furthermore, increasing DIY in painting is becoming popular particularly among developed economies such as U.S. and Europe which in return will foster myriad of opportunities for the overall painting tools market. Stringent regulations & norms pertaining to the increased usage of water-based paints for the significant reduction of VOC emissions in several manufacturing processes will provide positive scope for the painting tools market growth. Additionally, rising awareness of poison free environment along with initiatives by Centre for Science and Environment has supported in regulating standards on usage on paintings and coatings in India, thus driving the business growth. Scrapers product will observe significant gains exceeding 5.5% in the global painting tools market over the projected time period. Scrapers are majorly used for trueing a surface or for a particular decorative finish. Rapid growth in the construction activities across the developing countries such as UAE, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia owing to the increasing population and growing trends in the home decor segment will promulgate the product scope in the industry. North America is anticipated to surpass USD 2.5 billion in the overall painting tools market up to 2025. Rapid expansion of construction & automotive industry owing to the increasing technological innovation and advancements will boost industry in the region. For instance, construction application in North America accounted for over 70% share of the overall business in 2018. Additionally, surging demand of paints from the automobiles sector due to the increased annual production of the vehicles will further propel the market share across the region over the projected timeframe. Painting tools market is highly competitive in nature owing to the presence of several global and regional players. Major companies present in the industry include Asian Paints, Gordon Brush, Dura Paints, and Nespoli Group. Other prominent players include Mill-Rose Company, Braun Brush, Purdy, Anderson Products, Milton Brushware, and Richard Tools. The leading companies are making significant investments in certain technological & innovative advancements for strengthening their foothold in the overall painting tools market across the globe. Mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic collaborations, and product enhancements are the among the major strategies that are adopted by the key industry players. For instance, on 21st March 2019, Gordon Brush announced the acquisition of Spectrum Paint Applicator Corp., a leading producer of consumer & industrial paint brushes.

World Earth Day stresses the link between health and environment

As the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in lockdown mode, youth, activists and leaders across the world recognised that the coronavirus crisis, health and environmental threats need to be tackled hand in hand. For World Earth Day 2020, 10-year-old Sarah Rose drew a poster which her school will later put together as a collage regrouping the work of her classmates. Sarah Rose is in Grade 5 at Pathways School Noida in Delhi. She is currently home schooling because of lockdown measures India enforced to contain the Covid-19 epidemic. “I made a poster with the Earth and trees because because I was inspired by the United Nations' goal to plant 7.8 billion trees,” she told RFI. “But I also wrote 'If you want a better ENVIRONMENT' as environment also stands for everything in Nature, like plants, trees, animals and so on.” Sarah said that she does not really need one special day to celebrate Earth Day “because on different days, my dad brings all sorts of plants home”. The 10-year-old has been learning about renewable and non-renewable energy at school and is acutely aware of the need for a better environment. “We should save our resources and use them wisely,” Sarah declared. Covid-19 and pollution India has been under lockdown since March 24th and the absence of massive car traffic, shuttered industries and halting of construction work has brought positive change towards the usual alarming level pollution. According to India's Central Pollution Control Board, levels of PM2.5 particulate -- the most dangerous for human health – are 20 to 30 times the accepted limits. But on April 22nd, World Earth Day, the levels of were reported to be "satisfactory". For Sarah, the lockdown measures brought a huge change in Delhi, one of the world's most polluted city. “People are not coming out on the roads and polluting. The air has become much cleaner,” she said. Anumita Roy Chowdhury of the Delhibased Centre for Science and Environment agreed, “we've never really experienced clean air like this.” But the World Meteorological Organisation warns that the global reach of the coronavirus pandemic is not enough to stop climate change. "Covid-19 may result in a temporary reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, but it is not a substitute for sustained climate action," the World Meteorological Organisation said in a statement released on World Earth Day. Greta, Francis and Antonio The Swedish climate activist, Greta Thunberg, said that climate and environmental emergencies must be tackled at the same time as the coronavirus crisis “The climate crisis is not slowing down, even in times like these,” said the 17 year old who spearheaded the Fridays for Future movements. At the Vatican, Pope Francis made an impassioned plea for protection of the environment, saying the coronavirus pandemic had shown that challenges can be met with a global response. For Pope Francis it is necessary for young people to "take to the streets to teach us what is obvious, that is that there will be no future for us if we destroy the environment that sustains us". Last year, after a synod of bishops from the Amazon region, Pope Francis said he was considering adding a definition of "ecological sins" in the Roman Catholic Church's Catechism, a compendium of teachings and rules. 34 The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres urged government “to turn the recovery into a real opportunity to do things right for the future”. “The current crisis is an unprecedented wake-up call”, Guterres said in a public address where he outlined six climaterelated actions. The first one being: “as we spend huge amounts of money to recover from the coronavirus, we must deliver new jobs and businesses through a clean, green transition”. | April 25, 2020

Lockdown reveals fresh air, cleaner rivers in India

India’s extended lockdown to curb the coronavirus outbreak has shut down schools, workplaces, industries, transport, and forced people to stay home. India’s extended lockdown to curb the coronavirus outbreak has shut down schools, workplaces, industries, transport, and forced people to stay home. It also led to an unexpected bonus in the country with six out of 10 of the world's most polluted cities: cleaner air. “It is a hell of a change,” said Kunal Chopra, who suffers from chronic bronchitis and whose morning walks no longer begin with a shot from an inhaler. “The air is much fresher and my breathing problems have gone down.” India accounts for the highest pollutionrelated deaths in the world with more than 2 million people every year, according to a December 2019 report by the Global Alliance of Health and Pollution. On March 25, the first day of the lockdown, the average PM 2.5 levels decreased by 22% and nitrogen dioxide - which comes from burning fossil fuels - dropped by 15%, according to air pollution data analyzed by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air. “These are extraordinary times,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director at the Center for Science and Environment, a research and advocacy organization in New Delhi. She attributed the drop in air pollutants to less vehicles on the road, construction activity, and factories shutting down. “People are more vulnerable during a pandemic in areas with high pollution,” she said. “Our lungs and hearts are already compromised, and we cannot fight the virus. India has reported nearly 20,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 600 deaths. The stringent lockdown measures that are set to be lifted on May 3 also have had an effect on India’s rivers. Pictures of pristine clear waters of the Ganges, India’s longest river considered holy by Hindus, were enthusiastically shared on social media a few weeks into the lockdown. India’s pollution monitoring body said the water had even become fit for bathing in some areas, according to real-time monitors placed along the 2,575-kilometer (1,600-mile) -long river. A recent analysis by the Delhi Pollution Control Board found that the quality of the Yamuna River flowing along New Delhi has also improved during the lockdown. The report cited a decrease in runoffs from 28 industrial clusters and less trash. “The lockdown has clearly told us what the main sources of pollution are,” said Vimlendu Jha, an environmentalist and founder of Swechha, a non-governmental organization helping youth fight climate change. “Effluents are forced into our river bodies, and that is major reason why our rivers are black.” Jha and other experts warn that the environmental improvements may be short-lived as the government eventually lifts the lockdown and rampant economic activity resumes. “How was a lockdown for just a few weeks able to achieve what governments could not for decades?” said Jha, who believes authorities should study data collected during the lockdown to devise better environmental policies. Roychowdhury suggested private workplaces that shifted their work online during the lockdown should institutionalize working from home to consider the impact of commuting on air pollution. But that's not everyone. Ashok Mandal, a scrawny rickshaw driver in New Delhi, spends hours scanning the streets for a passenger. He finds none. Used to making at least 400 rupees ($5) every day ferrying passengers in a residential neighborhood, his income has been slashed to a meager 70 rupees ($1) for picking up and delivering groceries. “Clean air means nothing to me,” Mandal said. “I am just trying to make it through each day.”

Kolkata’s air has never been so clean in recent memory

KOLKATA: The rainbow arc that appeared in the eastern sky on Thursday evening was the brightest that one could recall witnessing in Kolkata. It also lasted longer than any rainbow had in recent memory. Atmospheric scientists say there hasn’t been any difference in the rainbow formation. What’s changed though is the city’s air quality. A month into lockdown, Kolkata’s ambient air quality has undergone a radical change, making it the cleanest and healthiest in recorded history of air quality measurement. “Naturally, the sky looks more blue, the rainbow more colourful. And there is no smog to obliterate it,” a weather scientist explained. Maintaining such AQI levels may not be possible when all sectors are working at full throttle. But this pause has given us reason to think and introspect on what we can do to make our air cleaner even when we work full-time. Though air has appreciably cleaned up minus the buses, trucks, cars, autos and two-wheelers that constantly spew smoke and the construction activity that generates dust, the bigger challenge will be to retain the fresh air when the lockdown ends and the economy sets rolling again. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) analyzed the real-time data of Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) online portal and found that weekly city average of PM2.5 dropped by 58% between weeks ending March 22 and April 19. In case of nitrogen oxide (NO2), weekly city average dropped by 74% in the same period. PM2.5 is the tiniest of particulate matter that is about 3% the diameter of a human hair and can travel straight into the blood stream. Noxious chemicals riding piggyback on these particles play havoc with human lives. Nitrogen dioxide, on the other hand, inflames the lining of lungs and can reduce immunity to lung infections. This can cause problems such as wheezing, coughing, colds, flu, bronchitis and even cancer. In PM2.5, the station-wise highest drop was noted at Rabindra Bharati University (63%) and lowest at Bidhan Nagar (46%) between weeks ending March 22 and April 19. The PM2.5 level seems to have settled around 20ug/m3 across all stations with negligible variation among stations (in relation to pre-lockdown scenario), indicating local pollution sources have almost disappeared and stations are reporting urban background of the city, said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, air quality expert and executive director, CSE. Station-wise highest drop of NO2 was noted at Victoria (86%) and lowest at Rabindra Sarobar (62%) during the lockdown period. Unlike PM2.5 level, NO2 levels have not settled around similar levels across all stations, they still show considerable variation among stations but lesser in relation to pre-lockdown scenario, indicating local pollution sources are still active but have been drastically minimized, CSE analysis shows. NO2 pollution can contribute to aerosol formation and is formed from the burning of coal, oil and emissions from vehicles and off-road equipment, which can increase the risk of respiratory conditions.

Why Getting Climate Smart is The Strategic Move

A few months ago, climate change represented one of the biggest threats to the planet. The coronavirus pandemic has not really changed that. Yes, the COVID- 19 outbreak has broken the back of many economies – developed and emerging – and left entire sectors like aviation, tourism and hospitality looking at bleak prospects. In the post corona universe, the discourse on climate change has been pushed to the background, yet it ever. Climate change and the havoc it is likely to wreck on the global economy may not be as fast-moving as COVID-19, yet the impact is going to be far more serious. Why? Because there is no panacea or vaccine for global warming. With each passing year, the economic and industrial impact linked to climate change event is growing larger. Temperature rise was one of the factors that contributed to rampaging wildfires in Australia and California, resulting in millions of dollars of damage. Rising sea levels are likely to put millions of people in coastal countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh and Thailand at risk, thus impacting value chains worth trillions of dollars. Water scarcity is an increasing threat that puts at risk not just the viability of manufacturing plants but also food systems all over the world. India is not insulated, indeed, with large coastlines and a 1.4 billion population to feed, the nation is on the frontline of the climate battle. A report by the Centre for Science and Environment stated that India witnessed one extreme weather event almost every month in 2018 and 2019, with an increasing number of deaths relating to weather events. According to the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, climate change disasters have cost India around $79.5 billion in economic losses in the last 19 years. The World Bank also estimates that climate change can shave off nearly 3 per cent from India’s GDP. Post COVID-19, no nation, India included, can afford to take on this kind of negative impact. It is a threat to the very survival of human habitats and the foundation of human economic activity. Clearly, it is way beyond time that individuals and organisations step up to face this challenge. Sustainable development calls for companies to commit to a steady reduction in carbon footprints, greenhouse gas emissions, energy and water consumption, material consumption, solid and liquid waste, and so on. Companies with one eye on the far horizon have assiduously committed resources for climate change mitigation. For instance, Mahindra has announced that it will become carbon neutral by 2040. It’s green business initiatives that take climate change into account include strategic investments in the EV space and energy-efficient real estate ventures. Last year it took on the plastic and nonrecyclable waste problem by launching its #CutTheCrap campaign. At Godrej, we are driving several climate initiatives under our Good & Green sustainability programme. In our drive to become carbon neutral, we have successfully reduced our specific carbon emissions by more than 55% from the baseline. Our renewable energy portfolio will grow from the current 50% level to nearly 70% by 2025. We are probably one of the few water positive groups in India – we put back almost five times as much water into the ecosystem as we draw from it. To achieve this, we funded community watershed projects in four states that generate ~ 20 million m3 of water every year. Like Mahindra, we are also signatories to the global EP100 energy initiative. By 2025, we will ensure that one-third of the group’s entire product portfolio has a smaller environmental footprint than in 2020. Tata companies have taken several steps to reduce carbon footprints. Tata Power has launched campaigns to convince millions of consumers to reduce energy consumption by switching off unnecessary lights and devices through a community awareness advocacy initiative called Club Enerji. Tata Chemicals has adopted solar power and bulk shipping initiatives to lower its emissions. A consistent focus on climate change measures have led to Tata Consultancy Services and Godrej Consumer Products being recognised in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. As responsible companies, we have taken the lead in the climate change effort, with the firm understanding that sustainability initiatives are also the strategic move for companies with a long term horizon. The reality is that climate change comes with a slew of business opportunities — higher productivity, cost savings, new value chains in shared mobility, digital businesses, high yield agriculture and alternative fuels, and many more. The smart move for organisations is to quickly climb on to the green bandwagon. Climate action is here to stay and it falls upon individuals, nations and enterprises — a planetary effort, no less — to press the rewind button.

Noida sees cleanest Earth Day since active pollution monitoring began in 2018

According to the data assessed, the average PM2.5 for Noida for Earth Day 2020 was 54.9 microgrammes per cubic metres (Ug/m3), against 78.97 Ug/m3 on Earth Day 2019, and 98.46 Ug/m3 in 2018. With Wednesday marking the 50th anniversary of ‘Earth Day’ – a day that aims at enhancing environmental education and awareness -- Noida saw the cleanest Earth Day in the past three years with particle and gaseous pollutants well within prescribed limits. According to data assessed through the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) of Noida, on a scale of 0 to 500, was 88 or ‘satisfactory’ on Wednesday, against 168 or ‘moderate’ the same day last year, and 262 or ‘poor’ in 2018. Interestingly, while the theme for 2020 is climate action, it’s not the mitigation measures taken by the authorities but rather the nationwide lockdown that has given the city the cleanest Earth Day since active monitoring of the pollution levels began in 2018. According to the data assessed, the average PM2.5 for Noida for Earth Day 2020 was 54.9 microgrammes per cubic metres (Ug/m3), against 78.97 Ug/m3 on Earth Day 2019, and 98.46 Ug/m3 in 2018. The PM2.5, or particles with diameter less than 2.5 microns, are coarse particle pollutants produced from industrial and vehicular emissions. The safe limit for PM2.5 is 60 Ug/m3, going by national standards. The average PM10 also dropped, though not under the prescribed limit just yet, with Wednesday seeing an average of 111.84 Ug/m3, while last year the same was 203.24 Ug/m3, and in 2018 it was 280.21 Ug/m3. The PM10 safe limit is 100 Ug/m3, going by national standards. The gaseous pollutant, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which comes from industrial and vehicular fuel combustion, however, fluctuated. Wednesday saw an average of 21.61 Ug/m3 of NO2, while the day in 2019 saw 18.19 Ug/m3 and 2018 saw 29.45Ug/m3 in NO2 values. The safe limit for NO2 is 40 Ug/m3 for industrial areas and 30 Ug/m3 for eco-sensitive zones, going by national standards. Though the lockdown has reduced pollution levels due to lesser vehicular movement and industrial activities, experts believe they will spike sharply when the lockdown is over. “One of the major reasons the air is cleaner is the reduction in the vehicular movement. However, there are chances that the pollution levels will spike sharply after the lockdown is over, people might prefer personal vehicles and avoid public transport in fear of the pandemic. The government has to ensure trust among people to ensure that public transport areas are safe. Also, local authorities must work on parking policies to discourage private vehicle movement,” said Shambhavi Shukla, senior project associate, air quality, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said. According to Noida-based environmentalist Vikrant Tongad, strict measures would be required to minimise the likely risk of sharp spike in pollution. “The air quality will obviously deteriorate after the lockdown is over. In such a case, the best that could be done is to minimise the impact of pollution on the local environment. The authorities will have to implement proper waste management rules, for both industrial and local waste, and ensure that industrial effluents are not discharged into rivers. Also there has to be accountability, so in case pollution levels spike, there could be liable agencies that could be held accountable,” said Tongad. According to officials, while taking cars off the road has had a major impact on pollution levels, the post lockdown scenario will depend on the meteorological conditions. “It’s obvious that the pollution levels will as the lockdown is in place, as the major reason (for emissions) is vehicles. You take the vehicles off the road and pollution drops. However, it also depends on the meteorological conditions. There would be a spike in pollution levels once the lockdown is over, but meteorological conditions will play a major role in controlling them,” said Utsav Sharma, environment engineer, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board. “Though Covid-19 is the major crisis that we are handling currently, the authority is already doing a lot of sprinkling for sanitisation, which also acts as a pollution cutting measures. There are a number of measures to be taken post lockdown, which are currently on hold due to the ongoing pandemic, such as water sprinkling, grassing and massive plantation. Controlling pollution will be our priority,” said Rajeev Tyagi, general manager, Noida Authority.

World Earth Day stresses the link between health and environment

As the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in lockdown mode, youth, activists and leaders across the world recognised that the coronavirus crisis, health and environmental threats need to be tackled hand in hand. For World Earth Day 2020, 10-year-old Sarah Rose drew a poster which her school will later put together as a collage regrouping the work of her classmates. Sarah Rose is in Grade 5 at Pathways School Noida in Delhi. She is currently home schooling because of lockdown measures India enforced to contain the Covid-19 epidemic. “I made a poster with the Earth and trees because because I was inspired by the United Nations' goal to plant 7.8 billion trees,” she told RFI. “But I also wrote 'If you want a better ENVIRONMENT' as environment also stands for everything in Nature, like plants, trees, animals and so on.” Sarah said that she does not really need one special day to celebrate Earth Day “because on different days, my dad brings all sorts of plants home”. The 10-year-old has been learning about renewable and non-renewable energy at school and is acutely aware of the need for a better environment. “We should save our resources and use them wisely,” Sarah declared. Covid-19 and pollution India has been under lockdown since March 24th and the absence of massive car traffic, shuttered industries and halting of construction work has brought positive change towards the usual alarming level pollution. According to India's Central Pollution Control Board, levels of PM2.5 particulate -- the most dangerous for human health – are 20 to 30 times the accepted limits. But on April 22nd, World Earth Day, the levels of were reported to be "satisfactory". For Sarah, the lockdown measures brought a huge change in Delhi, one of the world's most polluted city. “People are not coming out on the roads and polluting. The air has become much cleaner,” she said. Anumita Roy Chowdhury of the Delhibased Centre for Science and Environment agreed, “we've never really experienced clean air like this.” But the World Meteorological Organisation warns that the global reach of the coronavirus pandemic is not enough to stop climate change. "Covid-19 may result in a temporary reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, but it is not a substitute for sustained climate action," the World Meteorological Organisation said in a statement released on World Earth Day. Greta, Francis and Antonio The Swedish climate activist, Greta Thunberg, said that climate and environmental emergencies must be tackled at the same time as the coronavirus crisis “The climate crisis is not slowing down, even in times like these,” said the 17 year old who spearheaded the Fridays for Future movements. At the Vatican, Pope Francis made an impassioned plea for protection of the environment, saying the coronavirus pandemic had shown that challenges can be met with a global response. For Pope Francis it is necessary for young people to "take to the streets to teach us what is obvious, that is that there will be no future for us if we destroy the environment that sustains us". Last year, after a synod of bishops from the Amazon region, Pope Francis said he was considering adding a definition of "ecological sins" in the Roman Catholic Church's Catechism, a compendium of teachings and rules. The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres urged government “to turn the recovery into a real opportunity to do things right for the future”. “The current crisis is an unprecedented wake-up call”, Guterres said in a public address where he outlined six climaterelated actions. The first one being: “as we spend huge amounts of money to recover from the coronavirus, we must deliver new jobs and businesses through a clean, green transition”. | April 25, 2020

Covid-19: Noise pollution falls as lockdown rings in sound of silence

NEW DELHI: For nearly a month, there’s been no honking, no whirr of vehicular engines, no echo of loudspeakers and no clanking of machinery in factories. For nearly a month since the lockdown was clamped, Delhiites have been waking up to the chirping of birds. Like the now clear water of the Yamuna and the clean air of the city, Delhi’s noise pollution has drastically fallen, thanks to closed factories, mostly empty roads and an absence of commercial events. Prashant Gargava, member secretary of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the apex body for measuring noise pollution across the country, says it is carrying an analysis on pollution levels during the lockdown, results for which are likely to be shared soon. While the diurnal decibel level limit in residential areas in normal times is set at 55 dB(A) and 45 at night, chances are the current figures range between just 30 and 40. “The chirping of birds measures around 40-50 decibels,” Pravesh Biyani of IIIT-D, which is conducting a study, says, “When the surround sound is lower than that of the chirping, people get to hear the birds.” A senior Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) official says the drop in noise pollution has been significant. DPCC, too, will study the current data. CPCB and DPCC have five noise monitoring stations each. These cover industrial, residential and commercial locations like Anand Vihar, Civil Lines, Punjabi Bagh, Mandir Marg, RK Puram, ITO, East Arjun Nagar, Dilshad Garden, Bawana and Dwarka. In a recent submission to the National Green Tribunal, DPCC analysed noise pollution levels between April and October 2019 from its five stations, with Anand Vihar recording the highest average daytime and night-time noise levels. The highest was recorded at 65.7 dB(A) in October. The lowest average day-time reading was recorded at Punjabi Bagh in June 2019 at 55 dB(A), while the lowest night-time average was recorded at Mandir Marg in June 2019 at 49.1 dB(A). For industrial areas, the standard is 75 dB(A) during the day and 70dB (A) at night time. Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director, Research and Policy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) says the impact is being seen most across industrial areas and traffic hotspots. “Busy roads which would constantly get noise pollution from horns and vehicles driving by are completely quiet now. Industries too which have shut down during the lockdown, meaning noise pollution there is extremely low as well,” said Chowdhury. A study by Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Delhi carried out recently had found that honking of vehicles is a bigger noise polluter than firecrackers with decibel levels going up to 100 db(A) and higher. The study was conducted by Biyani, assistant professor with Electronic and Communication (ECE), department of IIIT-D. Noise pollution was measured on eight prominent roads and 12 intersections of the city, including Anand Vihar, IP Extension, Govindpuri metro and Connaught Place. Biyani said the Govindpuri Metro station area, which had sound decibels of around 100 daily, “has now reduced to around 50-60 decibels due to the less number of vehicles on the road.” Dr Faiyaz Khudsar, scientist in-charge at Yamuna Biodiversity Park (YBP) says noise levels above 20 dB(A) are known to disturb birds. However, with reduced human activity and noise, their chirping is being heard clearly now. Times of India | Delhi | April 23, 2020

Skies over New Delhi turn a rare shade of blue

As lockdown measures remain in place across India, air pollution decreases. India is home to 1.3 billion people. As schools, workplaces, industry and transport remain closed, pollutants found in the air have been able to settle. According to air pollution data analysed by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, on day one of the coronavirus lockdown, the average particle matter (PM 2.5) in the air decreased by 22 percent. The average nitrogen dioxide - which comes from burning fossil fuels - dropped by 15 percent. The reduced air pollution is rare for India, which at the end of 2019, was reported as home to six of the world's 10 mostpolluted cities. According to a report by the Global Alliance of Health and Pollution, India has more than two million pollution-related deaths a year - the highest number in the world. "These are the extraordinary times," said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director of the Centre for Science and Environment in New Delhi. He went on to say, "Because of the public health emergency, everything is shut down. Factories are shut. No construction happening. And because we are not travelling, there are no vehicles on the road. And naturally because of that, pollution levels have reduced dramatically." The positive impact of the lockdown is not just limited to better air quality and higher visibility. India's Central Pollution Control Board said the water in the Ganges, India's longest river, had become fit for bathing. This was deduced with the help of realtime monitors placed along the river. The report cited a decrease in runoff from 28 industrial clusters, and a reduction in dumping of rubbish, as some of the biggest reasons for the improved water quality. Recent analysis by the Delhi Pollution Control Board confirms the quality of the Yamuna River, which skirts the city of New Delhi, has also improved during the lockdown. Environment activist and social worker Vimlendu Jha warned the improvements are "short-lived" and will probably fade as rampant economic activity resumes after the lockdown. He went on to say the government and policymakers need to study the data collected during the lockdown, to identify sources of pollution and devise better standards to help improve the environment. Lockdown measures remain in place across India until at least May 3. | April 23, 2020

World Earth Day stresses the link between health and environment

As the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in lockdown mode, youth, activists and leaders across the world recognised that the coronavirus crisis, health and environmental threats need to be tackled hand in hand. For World Earth Day 2020, 10-year-old Sarah Rose drew a poster which her school will later put together as a collage regrouping the work of her classmates. Sarah Rose is in Grade 5 at Pathways School Noida in Delhi. She is currently home schooling because of lockdown measures India enforced to contain the Covid-19 epidemic. “I made a poster with the Earth and trees because because I was inspired by the United Nations’ goal to plant 7.8 billion trees,” she told RFI. “But I also wrote ‘If you want a better ENVIRONMENT’ as environment also stands for everything in Nature, like plants, trees, animals and so on.” “I made a poster with the Earth and trees but I also wrote ‘If you want a better ENVIRONMENT’ as environment also stands for everything in Nature” – Sarah Rose, 10 yr, India. “I made a poster with the Earth and trees but I also wrote ‘If you want a better ENVIRONMENT’ as environment also stands for everything in Nature” – Sarah Rose, 10 yr, India. © Jaya Bhattacharji Rose Sarah said that she does not really need one special day to celebrate Earth Day “because on different days, my dad brings all sorts of plants home”. The 10-year-old has been learning about renewable and non-renewable energy at school and is acutely aware of the need for a better environment. “We should save our resources and use them wisely,” Sarah declared. Covid-19 and pollution India has been under lockdown since March 24th and the absence of massive car traffic, shuttered industries and halting of construction work has brought positive change towards the usual alarming level pollution. According to India's Central Pollution Control Board, levels of PM2.5 particulate -- the most dangerous for human health – are usually 20 to 30 times the accepted limits. But on April 22nd, World Earth Day, the levels of pollution were reported to be "satisfactory". For Sarah, the lockdown measures brought a huge change in New Delhi, one of the world’s most polluted city. “People are not coming out on the roads and polluting. The air has become much cleaner,” she said. Anumita Roy Chowdhury of the Delhibased Centre for Science and Environment agreed, “we've never really experienced clean air like this.” But the World Meteorological Organisation warns that the global reach of the coronavirus pandemic is not enough to stop climate change. "Covid-19 may result in a temporary reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, but it is not a substitute for sustained climate action," the World Meteorological Organisation said in a statement released on World Earth Day. Greta, Francis and Antonio The Swedish climate activist, Greta Thunberg, said that climate and environmental emergencies must be tackled at the same time as the coronavirus crisis “The climate crisis is not slowing down, even in times like these,” said the 17 year old who spearheaded the Fridays for Future movements. At the Vatican, Pope Francis made an impassioned plea for protection of the environment, saying the coronavirus pandemic had shown that challenges can be met with a global response. For Pope Francis it is necessary for young people to "take to the streets to teach us what is obvious, that is that there will be no future for us if we destroy the environment that sustains us". Last year, after a synod of bishops from the Amazon region, Pope Francis said he was considering adding a definition of "ecological sins" in the Roman Catholic Church's Catechism, a compendium of teachings and rules. The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres urged government “to turn the recovery into a real opportunity to do things right for the future”. “The current crisis is an unprecedented wake-up call”, Guterres said in a public address where he outlined six climaterelated actions. The first one being: “as we spend huge amounts of money to recover from the coronavirus, we must deliver new jobs and businesses through a clean, green transition”.