• Climate Change and Green Economy

First draft of COP30 text weak on public finance

The COP30 Presidency released the first iteration of the draft text, based on the four outstanding issues that have hogged the spotlight at Belem. Titled ‘Global Mutirão’ — which translates to collective effort in Portuguese — it is a response to Presidency consultations on the issues of trade, finance, transparency and the temperature limiting cause of 1.5°C, as agreed at the Paris Agreement. This inclusiveness raises more questions than answers. Firstly, the text highlights a major dispute over the $100 billion goal, which hasn’t been met entirely. Secondly, for achieving the goal of climate finance of $1.3 trillion annually, multiple conflicting options have been offered. These include a legally-binding action plan to a focus on the new $1.3$ trillion per year by 2035 goal as well as a proposal for a ‘Belem Global De-Risking and Project Preparation and Development Facility’. On the issue of adaptation, which has been a big ask from developing nations at the conference, the urgency is stressed, along with insufficient capitalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund. The draft offers three ways to scale up adaptation finance, including an explicit goal to triple adaptation finance from 2025 levels by 2030 or 2035. “The latest draft of the Mutirao text captures important elements of what developing countries are demanding especially on climate finance, adaptation, and unilateral trade measures. It is up to the Parties to ensure that the most ambitious elements are moved forward in the political process. Developed countries must engage in good faith,” said Avantika Goswami, programme manager, Climate Change at the think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Off center According to Harjeet Singh, founding director of the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation, this might weaken the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR), according to which rich nations have to distribute public finance to other countries for their climate resilient needs. This follows the same course as the Baku to Belem roadmap. “The text is an implementation disaster. While it gestures toward the $1.3 trillion finance goal and the need for international cooperation, its focus remains disproportionately fixed on private finance, capital markets, and concessional loans from MDBs, which are poison for countries already struggling with debt. It utterly fails to instruct developed countries to meet their legal, public finance obligations,” said Singh. “On adaptation, the proposed option of tripling finance by 2030 or 2035 is immediately compromised by mentioning both grants and highly concessional finance. Concessional loans are a debt trap, and this document fails to close the huge gap in adaptation and Loss and Damage funding with the grant-based support communities desperately need.” The divergent options related to climate finance in the text also don’t offer much hope for developing countries. “On the sticky issue of finance, there are widely different proposals in the text. The position supported by India relates to a legally binding action plan for mandatory delivery of finance while other proposals support creation of work programs to deal with the quantity and quality of the climate finance goal, an annual high-level ministerial round table on NCQG implementation, as well as Belem Facility for Implementation’ to de-risk projects in the developing world,” said Dr Vaibhav Chaturvedi of CEEW.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Babies struggling to breathe in Delhi’s winter smog

Doctors say infant respiratory admissions have increased noticeably in recent weeks, placing the city’s youngest residents at the centre of the pollution crisis. Infants at greater risk “Infants breathe almost twice as fast as adults,” explained Dr Vishal Gupta, Senior Consultant in Neonatology at Fortis La Femme, Greater Kailash-II, and Fortis Shalimar Bagh. “This means they inhale more air, and therefore more pollutants, relative to their body weight. These fine particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, triggering respiratory infections, wheezing, and asthma very early in life.” He added that prolonged exposure to toxic air can lead to long-term harm. “Prolonged exposure to this toxic air can stunt lung development, impair brain growth, and even increase the risk of long-term heart and metabolic diseases,” he said.\ Dr Medha, Paediatrician at Madhukar Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Delhi, said rising air pollution has become a serious health threat, particularly for infants whose lungs and immune systems are still developing. “Infants breathe faster and take in more air relative to their body weight than adults, which means greater exposure to pollutants like PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone,” she said. “These fine particles penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, causing inflammation and long-term respiratory issues.” She added that frequent exposure to polluted air has been linked to recurrent cough, wheezing, breathlessness, and bronchiolitis in infants. “Continuous exposure weakens immunity, making infants more prone to cold, pneumonia, and other respiratory infections,” Dr Medha noted, warning that toxic metals in the air and dust can also hinder neurological growth and cognitive development. Hospitals report rise in respiratory cases Paediatric and neonatal units in major hospitals across Delhi have reported an increase in infants with breathing difficulties since October. Dr Amit Jindal, Consultant in Respiratory Medicine and In-charge of the Pollution Clinic at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, said the surge is significant. “We are seeing a 25–30% increase in respiratory infections among infants and toddlers. Most of them present with symptoms like persistent cough, congestion, and difficulty in breathing.” He explained that particulate matter, especially PM2.5, poses a grave risk. “Infants have smaller airways, so even minor inflammation can obstruct airflow. The pollutants cause irritation in the respiratory tract, making it harder for babies to breathe and feed properly,” he said. At Lok Nayak Hospital, similar trends are being observed. Dr Ritu Saxena, Deputy Medical Superintendent and Chief Medical Officer, said, “We are treating a growing number of infants with acute bronchitis and viral respiratory infections. Many of these cases are directly related to poor air quality. The air they breathe is literally poisoning their developing systems.” Supporting these observations, Dr Medha said paediatricians across major hospitals have reported a 25–30% rise in respiratory illnesses among children under five during peak pollution months, with infants representing a significant share. “Available hospital data show that one in three children visiting emergency departments during winter months present with breathing difficulties or infections linked to poor air quality,” she said. Invisible and long-term damage Beyond immediate respiratory symptoms, doctors warn of more subtle and permanent damage. “Exposure during infancy can have lifelong consequences,” said Dr Megha Consul, Senior Consultant and Unit Head of Neonatology at Fortis Hospital, Gurgaon. “Studies link early exposure to air pollution with reduced cognitive performance, slower motor development, and even an increased risk of attention disorders later in life.” She added that research indicates higher risks of low birth weight and compromised immunity among newborns exposed to severe pollution. “Some evidence also suggests a potential link with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS),” she added. Dr Medha also pointed to findings from The Lancet Planetary Health, which reported that air pollution contributes to nearly 17% of premature infant deaths in India, with Delhi among the worst-affected regions. “The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) estimates that toxic air exposure in Delhi has led to a 30–40% increase in hospital admissions among infants and toddlers in recent years,” she said. Parents face limited options For many parents, the smog season brings anxiety and helplessness. Indoor environments also pose risks due to dust, cooking fumes, and limited ventilation. Dr Gupta advised limiting exposure. “During days of severe pollution, keep windows closed and use HEPA air purifiers wherever possible. Avoid stepping out with infants, especially in the early mornings and late evenings. If going out is unavoidable, keep the baby in a covered stroller.” He also emphasised hydration, nutrition, vaccinations, and regular paediatric check-ups. Dr Medha noted that given infants spend most of their time indoors, indoor pollution caused by cooking fumes, dust, and poor ventilation compounds the problem. “Therefore, controlling both indoor and outdoor pollution is crucial to safeguard infant health in Delhi’s increasingly toxic air environment,” she said.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

From ‘Airpocalypse’ to blue skies: What China can teach India about combating pollution

The smog crisis in Delhi has triggered protest marches in the capital. Air pollution caused 15% of all deaths in Delhi in 2023. More alarmingly, it shortens the life span of residents by almost 8 years on average. Experts say India’s solutions fail due to poor enforcement and reliance on temporary fixes. But if China could reduce pollution in a decade, why can’t India do it? The Chinese embassy spokesperson for India, Yu Jing, has offered China’s assistance to Delhi to fight air pollution, saying Beijing was ready to share its learnings. Beijing reduced pollution by 89% within a decade, making it a model for other cities. The city became acutely aware of the impact of emissions, vehicular pollution and economic expansion on the environment in the early 2000s and decided to take aggressive steps. But clean air and blue skies were not achieved in a day. China had to come up with a strategic action plan to combat the pollution. The country became aware of its severe air pollution in the 1990s. The population of Beijing was increasing at a rapid pace, having touched 13.6 million in the 90s. The number of cars on the city's roads crossed the one million mark, and Beijing was making headlines due to its deadly smog. By 2013 Beijing’s air quality had hit rock bottom with PM 2.5 levels soaring to 101.56 micrograms per cubic meter of air while the WHO recommends an average daily concentration of 50 micrograms per cubic meter. In response, China released the Air Pollution Action Plan in September 2013, which became China’s most influential environmental policy. It helped Beijing reduce PM 2.5 levels by 33% between 2013 and 2017. Here's what China did. Boosting sustainable transport China was once considered the ‘Kingdom of the Bicycle’. Beijing authorities reintroduced bike-sharing schemes to encourage bike use and get people to pedal again. China also restricted the number of cars on the roads and introduced all-electric bus fleets. It controlled truck traffic within the city, encouraging trucks to use the bypasses and created Low Emission Zones (LEZs).The city’s subway system was expanded. The odd-even scheme of traffic rationing was also one of the ways to reduce vehicular emissions on the streets of Beijing. Switching to cleaner fuels China’s other focus was cleaner fuels. It limited the use of coal-fired boilers. Beijing focused on reducing coal consumption by shutting down industrial sites and improving heating systems. The city added 4 gigawatts of solar and wind capacity. Afforestation and reforestation programmes The government launched afforestation and reforestation programmes like the Great Green Wall and planted more than 35 billion trees. State-of-the-art air quality monitoring Beijing focused on monitoring air pollution better by using high quality technologies like HD Satellite, remote sensing and laser radar. These sensors helped identify the pollution hotspots. Increased spending China spent a huge amount towards reducing air pollution. Beijing’s budget to fight air pollution increased from little over 3 billion yuan (US$434 million) in 2013 to more than 18 billion yuan (US$2.6 billion) in 2017. The result? By 2020, coal consumption had reduced by 150 million tonnes. Respiratory cases had fallen 20%. Over all these years, Beijing has maintained its momentum towards achieving clean air in a structured manner. So why can’t India manage to clean its air? What is the urgent need of the hour? This is India's response to its air pollution crisis. Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for NCR It’s an emergency action plan that kicks in during the pollution emergency. It escalates anti-pollution measures across the national capital region. But as the Supreme Court noted, “Perennial GRAP is not the solution” as a sustained strategy is needed. National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) It was a time-bound national strategy launched in 2019 to achieve a 20-30% reduction in PM concentrations by 2024. Controlling stubble burning Promoting the use of stubble management machinery and providing subsidies to farmers to stop them from burning crop residue. Cutting domestic and industrial emissions Banning the use of polluting fuels like Pet Coke and furnace oil in NCR Cloud Seeding Delhi attempted its first trial of cloud seeding in October 2025, but the effort was a waste due to a lack of enough moisture in the clouds Delhi’s efforts to control the pollution crisis have not made much of a difference as they rely on short-term emergency measures and do not address the year-round pollution sources. Systemic failures in implementation and coordination have also derailed the efforts. Most experts push for long-term measures and not just short-term reactive steps. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), has asked for implementation of an annual, strategic plan with clear, time-bound milestones for reducing emissions from all major sources, moving beyond the short-term Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Experts also focus on vehicular pollution, which cannot be overlooked. "The growth in the absolute number of vehicles is quite high. The progress made by the introduction of electric and cleaner vehicles is being nullified by the growth in the number of vehicles. Heavy and low-duty commercial vehicles make up just two per cent of all vehicles in the city, but contribute to 20% of all emissions," says Dr Gufran Beig, Founder-Director of SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research). New Delhi knows the problem areas, but what is needed is strong on-ground execution. Efficient execution is often hampered by poor fund utilisation, lack of year-round enforcement and the tendency to go in for short-term, high-visibility fixes.

• Down To Earth

State-wise Analysis of Climate-related Disasters in India

India is facing an unprecedented increase in climate-related disasters throughout 2025, as unpredictable monsoons, extreme heatwaves, and powerful cyclones alter the vulnerability of its varied landscapes. This table presents the state-wise count of such occurrences—spanning floods, droughts, landslides, and lightning strikes—according to reports from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Assam leads the list with 28 incidents, primarily floods that have displaced millions, while the arid state of Rajasthan records 13 incidents, driven by extended drought conditions. These figures arise from 99 percent of days in the initial nine months experiencing extreme weather, as noted in CSE’s Climate India 2025 report, exacerbated by a 1.2°C increase due to global warming. Urban expansion diminishes natural protective features such as wetlands, and remnants of El Niño heighten these patterns, necessitating reactive measures rather than fostering resilience. This crisis poses a threat to agriculture, which employs 45 percent of the Indian population, highlighting the urgent need for localized adaptation strategies. As events overlap—heatwaves coinciding with floods—India’s economy is projected to incur $180 billion in cumulative losses over the next thirty years, according to Germanwatch’s Climate Risk Index. Policymakers are urged to focus on early warning systems and green infrastructure to prevent further inequities. The Rising Toll: Trends and Forecasts Communities throughout India face a harsh reality in 2025: climate-related disasters occur with alarming regularity, altering both lives and environments. The data illustrates significant inequalities, with northeastern and eastern states such as Assam and Bihar suffering the most due to their riverine landscapes and high population densities. Assam experiences 28 disasters, primarily from Brahmaputra floods, resulting from a mere 3 percent excess in national rainfall but uneven distribution—IMD statistics indicate 40 percent above-normal precipitation in the northeast, causing rivers to swell and inundate 2.5 million hectares of agricultural land. Bihar follows closely with 25 incidents, where lightning alone accounts for 250 fatalities, according to NDMA reports, as the flat Gangetic plains exacerbate runoff issues due to insufficient drainage. These areas are adversely affected because colonial-era embankments are inadequate against intensified monsoons, a direct consequence of warmer oceans contributing to a 7 percent increase in atmospheric moisture for each degree of warming, as predicted by IPCC models. In contrast, central regions like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan experience droughts, with 14 and 13 occurrences respectively. The Thar Desert in Rajasthan expands under 26 percent drought coverage nationwide (Statista, February 2025), as insufficient monsoons—down by 20 percent in certain districts—devastate crops across 68 percent of drought-prone arable land. Farmers in Bundelkhand resort to distress migration, with 5.4 million internal displacements reported, half of which are in Assam alone, according to CSE. Global trends worsen this situation: La Niña transitions in mid-2025 weaken trade winds, resulting in delayed rainfall and scorching soils reaching 50°C, leading to livestock deaths and a 15 percent reduction in yields. Maharashtra’s 19 incidents combine urban flooding in Mumbai—where 80 percent of wetlands have been lost to urbanization—with rural droughts, highlighting how development heightens risks. Urban areas trap heat, forming “urban heat islands” that extend heatwaves by an additional three days, as reported by CSE, raising temperatures by 15°C above rural averages in Delhi.

• Water Programme

Nigerian Government Reaffirms Commitment to Ending Open Defecation

The Senior Programme Manager of the Water Programme, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) India, Mrs. Susmita Sengupta, reaffirmed the organisation’s readiness to support Nigeria in developing technical guidelines that will strengthen sustainable sanitation practices. The Nigerian government has renewed its collective commitment to ensuring that every citizen both in rural and urban areas has access to safe, clean, and sustainable toilet facilities. The government said that, working together, Nigerians can build a nation where open defecation becomes a thing of the past and where every community enjoys the benefits of improved sanitation, good health, and environmental sustainability. This commitment was reiterated by the Minister of Environment, Mr. Balarabe Lawal, during the commemoration of the 2025 World Toilet Day in Abuja, with the theme: “Sanitation in a Changing World”, and the tagline, “We’ll Always Need a Toilet.” Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Mahmud Kambari, the Minister underscored the critical need for resilient sanitation systems as Nigeria’s population grows and climate change intensifies. He emphasised that “access to safe and clean toilets remains a fundamental human right essential for protecting health, preserving dignity, and safeguarding the environment.” “Despite global progress, 4.5 billion people still lack safely managed sanitation while 892 million practice open defecation, posing serious public health challenges,” the Minister stated. Highlighting ongoing national efforts, the Ministry pointed to several key interventions, including: “The Clean and Green Programme, promoting access to safe and adequate toilets in public places; Construction and rehabilitation of toilets in strategic locations across the country, Community-based interventions aimed at eliminating open defecation, capacity building for Environmental Health Officers and Sanitation Desk Officers across the 36 States and FCT; National WASH policy is being develop by National stakeholders to address sanitation holistically.,” he said

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi pollution crisis needs tough enforcement and electric transport push, say experts

Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category on Wednesday, with 18 of the 38 monitoring stations reporting ‘severe’ readings early in the morning. As the capital once again struggles with a toxic haze, experts have warned that only tough enforcement and a rapid shift towards electric mobility can put the city on a sustained path to cleaner air. The Supreme Court, which has been monitoring the matter for years, expressed frustration this week at the lack of meaningful action on the ground. The court has asked the government to respond to concerns raised by the amicus curiae, who flagged missing data from AQI monitors, alleged manipulation of readings through the use of sprinklers, and schools holding sports activities despite hazardous air. The bench has now directed that the matter be heard monthly to track progress by authorities. Speaking to CNBC-TV18 against this backdrop, Amit Bhatt, MD of the International Council on Clean Transport, said Delhi’s transport emissions cannot be reduced without an aggressive push towards electrification. “When we talk about transport, global evidence shows that there is absolutely no other way but to electrify our transport,” he said. Bhatt added that Delhi still lacks a concrete and comprehensive policy to drive mass adoption. “The technology is available, but there is no will to implement it,” he noted, pointing to examples from London, Beijing and California. According to him, the city “really has to convert everything to electric as soon as possible, maybe in the next five years or so.” On concerns around data accuracy and alleged fudging of AQI levels, Shambhavi Shukla, Programme Manager at the Centre for Science and Environment, said there had indeed been periods when “data was missing from the portal”, raising red flags. She clarified that water sprinkling near monitoring stations often takes place because many of these areas are pollution hotspots with high dust loads, but stressed that such steps do little to address the real challenge. “This is a long-term problem, not a short-term one, and band-aid solutions will not help reduce the pollution levels of the overall city,” she said. What Delhi needs, she emphasised, are systemic and infrastructural reforms that can run through the year.

• Down To Earth

India recorded extreme weather on 99 per cent of days from January to September

India faced extreme weather events on 99 per cent of days in the first nine months of 2025, marked by heat and cold waves, lightning, storms, heavy rain, floods and landslides. These events claimed 4,064 lives, affected 9.47 million hectares of crops, destroyed 99,533 houses, and killed about 58,982 animals, according to Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down To Earth’s Climate India 2025 report, an annual assessment of extreme weather events. The report notes a sharp surge in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events across India between January-September 2025 compared with the same period in the previous three years. By contrast, during the same period in 2024 such events occurred on 255 days, causing 3,238 deaths. In 2025, at least 18 states/UTs recorded their highest number of extreme‑weather days since 2022. Maharashtra was the worst‑hit in terms of cropped area affected, with 8.4 million ha, followed by Punjab (0.26 million ha) and Uttar Pradesh (0.21 million ha). “Regionally, the northwest experienced the highest frequency of extreme weather events in 2025, with 257 event days, followed by the east and northeast at 229 days. The northwest — which includes Punjab and the Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, among others that made headlines for their devastating monsoon events — also saw the highest number of deaths: 1,342, followed by 1,093 in central India,” the report said. Himachal Pradesh experienced extreme weather on almost 80 per cent of the 273 days in the first nine months of 2025, the highest in the country. Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest fatalities at 532, followed by Andhra Pradesh (484 deaths) and Jharkhand (478 deaths). Speaking at the launch of the report, CSE director general and Down To Earth editor Sunita Narain said, “Given the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, the country no longer needs to count just the disasters. What we need to understand is the scale — the scale of mitigation that Belém is talking about, the scale on which the whole world has to come together. But it is also about what we need to do, keeping in mind that there will be more and more such disasters.”

• Down To Earth

2025 Shocker: India Sees Extreme Weather 99% Days

India experienced extreme weather on 99% of days between January and September 2025, per new analysis. • Human casualties from extreme weather surged 48%, crop damage jumped nearly 400% in four years. • Northwest India was the worst-hit region, experiencing extreme weather on 257 out of 273 days.

• Climate Change and Green Economy

HT@Belem: Expect developed countries to reach net zero earlier than planned': Yadav at COP30

Belem: India will declare its revised nationally determined contributions (NDCs) till the 2035-period and the first Biennial Transparency Report by the year-end, union environment minister Bhupender Yadav said on Monday during the high level segment of the climate summit. He also called on developed countries to reach net zero far earlier than targets, fulfil their obligations under Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement, and deliver new, additional, and concessional climate finance estimated to be in trillions of dollars. Yadav said the updated NDC will be submitted before the end of the year. The delay in submission of India’s NDC had raised speculation on how India, a large greenhouse gas emitter with a low per capita footprint, was going to upgrade mitigation ambition in the post 2030 period. “This COP marks a decade since the Paris Agreement — a milestone to assess our collective resolve. It has reminded us that climate change is no longer a distant manifestation but is real and imminent. Unsustainable growth and development have placed Mother Earth in deep stress,” Yadav said. He stressed that India has already demonstrated its commitment to climate action. “India has demonstrated successfully that development and environmental stewardship can advance in tandem. India’s emission intensity has declined by over 36% since 2005. India’s non fossil fuel-based energy capacity, currently around 256 Giga watts, accounts for more than half of its total electric installed capacity- an NDC target achieved five years ahead of the schedule. Initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and the Global Biofuel Alliance have become global platforms for promoting affordable and clean energy,” Yadav said. “Our newly launched Nuclear Mission and Green Hydrogen Mission further accelerate our journey towards Net Zero by 2070. We shall be declaring our revised NDCs till 2035 and also the first Biennial Transparency Report,” Yadav said. In line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement regarding conservation and development of carbon sinks and reservoirs, two billion plants were planted under the community led initiative in just sixteen months. It is indeed a testament to the power of collective climate actions, he said. Most importantly, Yadav said “developed countries must reach net zero far earlier than current target dates, fulfil their obligations under Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement, and deliver new, additional, and concessional climate finance estimated to be in trillions of dollars.” Means of Implementation must be adequate, accessible, affordable, and free from restrictive intellectual property barriers. Let the Global Community remember this COP as a COP of Implementation and a CoP of Delivery on Promises, he said. HT reported on Tuesday that divisions are growing on the issue of article 9.1 which mandates that developed countries provide finance to developing countries for adaptation and mitigation. The rich nations however see discussions on this mandate as a redline. "What was promised under New Collective Quantified Goal was a mobilisation goal. Now we are talking about implementation under article 9.1 on delivery of finance. Rich countries see this as a red line. They are instead asking developing countries to accelerate mitigation. How is that possible without implementation of 9.1?" asked a developing country negotiator. “The refusal of wealthy blocs like EU and EIG to support the demand from developing countries to focus on Article 9.1 is an ongoing breach of trust, and will do little to restore credibility in the climate cooperation process. If Belem is to be considered a success, recognition of this demand of the developing countries is non negotiable,” said Avantika Goswami, programme manager, Climate Change, Centre for Science and Environment.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Capital’s pollution woes | Over 1,500 polluting units shut in NCR: CAQM

In a step against polluting units across NCR, directions have been issued regarding the closure of 1,515 industries, and construction and demolition sites, said the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in an affidavit filed on November 11. Following this, such units — including 264 in Delhi, 234 in Haryana, 637 in UP and 121 in Rajasthan — have been shut. From textile lines in Panipat and Sahibabad to food processing units and metal furnaces in Bawana and Bhiwadi — the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), meanwhile, has commissioned IIT Kanpur for a study to re-examine particulate matter (PM) standards for three of the most emission-intensive industrial sectors operating across Delhi-NCR. These clusters are part of a larger industrial region, which affects Delhi’s air quality. Delhi’s AQI remained in the ‘very poor’ category on Monday, with the 24-hour average settling at 351, a slight improvement from 377 recorded on Sunday, according to the CPCB. In the affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the CAQM also stated that out of about 50,000 operational industries across the Delhi-NCR, nearly 11,000 fall under the air-polluting category. These are units whose manufacturing processes, fuel use or emissions place them under the highest levels of regulatory scrutiny. They range from large industrial boilers and metal furnaces to smaller combustion-based units operating inside densely packed clusters around the capital. The industrial sector’s share in Delhi’s PM2.5 appears modest when viewed within city limits. A Decision Support System (DSS) developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology estimates that industry, construction and the energy sector together contribute around 10 per cent to Delhi’s particulate levels on most days. However, an assessment by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), based on DSS data for non-crop-burning periods, shows that emissions transported from the surrounding NCR districts — including major industrial belts — can contribute up to two-thirds of Delhi’s PM2.5. Under the national framework, the CPCB classifies every industrial sector using a pollution index — a score that combines its potential to pollute air, water and based on its generation of hazardous waste. Sectors with high scores are placed in the ‘Red’ category, which CPCB describes as “highly polluting” and subject to the strictest emission standards and regulatory control. Lower scores place sectors in the ‘Orange’ and ‘Green’ categories, while units falling under the ‘White’ category are considered practically non-polluting. An industrial unit is treated as polluting if it belongs to high-pollution category, runs fuel- or process-intensive operations, or fails to comply with the emission norms and consent conditions notified under the Air Act, the Water Act and the Environment (Protection) Act.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

The unbearable uselessness of India’s Environment Minister

He wields exclamation points and emojis with ease! He reposts every video clip featuring Narendra Modi! He marks every festival and made-up holiday in India with an anodyne image, sometimes even a gif! No, this isn’t your neighbourhood WhatsApp uncle, passing the time online. This is India’s environment minister, a man who’s held this position the longest ever since India got independence – except you’d be hard-pressed to even remember his name. Meanwhile, climate change is currently one of the greatest threats facing the planet. We’re living through one of the warmest years on record. Global emissions are predicted to hit an all-time high, even as India is the fourth highest emitter of greenhouse gases. Coastal cities like Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai are at high risk. Thousands are dying from heat but we’re not really tracking them. Delhi isn’t a city right now — it’s a gas chamber. And it’s not just the capital city, credible studies tie millions of deaths annually in India to air pollution. More than 63 percent of Indians live in areas that exceed the country’s own air quality standards. The man steering us through this crisis is Bhupender Yadav, fighting the good fight, not on the ground but through colourless social media posts tom-toming India’s – and Modi’s – many successes. For the last four years and 128-odd days, he’s been demonstrating a masterclass in uselessness and social media, of course, has noticed. A day before, when Delhi’s AQI was a dismal 361, he applauded the fact that a car was “sold every two seconds” thanks to the “festive fever” following GST cuts. We’ll note here that amid sources of Delhi’s pollution, vehicular emissions account for 51.1 percent of emissions from all local pollution sources, as per a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

• Sustainable Food Systems

Kerala observes WHO’s Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week

Kerala will observe the World Health Organization’s Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness Week from November 18 to 24 with an intensive statewide campaign promoting the responsible use of antibiotics. This year’s theme, “Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future,” highlights the urgent global call to curb antibiotic misuse and preserve their effectiveness for generations to come. Health Department officials urged the public to actively participate in the awareness programmes, noting that antibiotic misuse has become one of the most serious health threats worldwide. They stressed that timely corrective action is essential to safeguard both current and future health. Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria evolve to withstand antibiotic treatment due to misuse or overuse, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of severe complications. Health Minister Veena George said Kerala has been at the forefront of AMR-control initiatives and has been recognised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) for its systematic interventions. Under the Kerala Antimicrobial Resistance Strategic Action Plan (KARSAP), the state has implemented several landmark measures, including the publication of India’s first continuous four-year antibiogram, strict controls on the sale of antibiotics without prescriptions, and the transformation of hospitals into Antibiotic Smart Hospitals. These efforts have resulted in a 20–30 percent reduction in antibiotic consumption across Kerala. A QR-code-based 10-question survey will be launched at the state and district levels to assess public awareness on appropriate antibiotic use. The Health Department warned that irresponsible antibiotic use could have severe consequences. If antibiotics lose their potency, even minor infections could become life-threatening, while treatments for diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, and cancer may fail. Surgeries and childbirth procedures could also become riskier. Officials reiterated that antibiotics are effective only against bacterial infections—not viral illnesses such as fever, cold, or flu. The public has been advised to avoid taking antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription, refrain from demanding them unnecessarily, and not use leftover or expired medicines. Sharing antibiotics prescribed for someone else could be dangerous, and improper disposal of unused medicines could harm the environment. In poultry, livestock, and aquaculture, antibiotics must be used strictly under veterinary supervision and never for growth promotion. The department also emphasised that preventing infections remains the most effective protection. Regular handwashing and timely vaccinations can significantly reduce the need for antibiotics. Kerala’s AMR Awareness Week aims to strengthen antibiotic literacy and promote a safer, healthier future for all.

• Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy

98% processed is 100% lie: Investigating Gurugram’s broken waste system

On paper, Gurugram processes 98 percent of its waste. On the ground, that number dissolves into a mirage. On July 18, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) posted proud images of six geotagged “cleaned” locations on X as part of their cleanliness campaign. The images captured freshly cleared stretches, concrete paths flanked by empty carts, neatly stacked waste supposedly whisked away. When Newslaundry revisited these locations on two different days in July and October, the picture had changed. Five were already buried under new piles of garbage. Only one spot seemed truly clean, and even there, barely 500 metres away, a fresh mound of waste had begun to rise. Digital campaigns can’t disguise a broken system. Gurugram spends Rs 45 crore a year on waste management, yet manages little more than relocation – shifting garbage until someone else’s air, water, or forest pays the price. It’s every step that’s broken Gurugram, Haryana’s second-largest city, stretches over 232 square kilometres divided into 35 wards and four zones. Zones 1 and 2 – Old Gurugram – are cramped, unplanned, densely populated. Zones 3 and 4 – New Gurugram – glimmer with malls, high-rises, and corporate offices. Together, these zones generate roughly 1,200 tonnes of waste every day: 354.83 tonnes in Zone 1, 333.52 in Zone 2, 312.62 in Zone 3, and 199.03 in Zone 4. For a city whose population was estimated to be around 26 lakh as per a 2022 estimate. Each zone is supposed to follow a multi-layered waste management mechanism, with the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram as the nodal agency for collection, segregation, and processing. Gurugram’s process derives from the national Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, with additional operational details codified in its own municipal bylaws – both of which align closely with the guidelines and objectives of the Swachh Bharat Mission. The first step in this waste management machinery is door-to-door collection, with segregation at source: wet, dry and hazardous waste in separate bins. This is rarely followed. However, the Swachh Bharat Mission municipal solid waste management manual states that if unsegregated waste has not been sorted at the primary level, or at the door-to-door collective level, then it should be segregated “either at an intermediate stage or at the processing plant”. Waste collected from these homes is then moved to primary collection points, which are meant to consolidate and temporarily store waste before transporting it to secondary collection points. Secondary collection points are meant to be the logistical bridge between primary collection and processing or landfill sites. They’re designed to segregate and aggregate waste, with composting facilities. The MCG lists 14 secondary collection points across four zones. Newslaundry visited at least one in each zone and found they were functioning in violation of norms. Additionally, the 2023 environment district plan by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board had listed 20 such points, but only two of them continue to be in the 2025 list shared with Newslaundry by MCG officials. That should have meant the remaining 18 ceased to exist. However, Newslaundry visited five of those and found four of them existing as dumps. The next layer should be Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs). As per MCG, five exist. Newslaundry visited four and found them either locked, defunct, or functioning as open dumps. Swachh rankings are questionable. In the 2024–25 Swachh Survekshan rankings, Gurugram claimed a leap from 140th nationally to 41st, earning the title of Haryana’s seventh-cleanest city. Though the numbers tell a paradoxical story. Over three years, door-to-door collection dropped from 98 percent in 2022-23 to just 59 percent in 2024-25. Segregation fared even worse, plunging from 97 percent to a mere 10 percent over the same period. Yet the processing rate has surged from 59 percent to 98 percent. The result? A rising number of unofficial garbage dumps across Gurugram, and the aggregation of unsegregated waste at the Bandhwari landfill on the Gurugram-Faridabad highway near the ecologically sensitive Aravalli forests. A statistical illusion In the 2024–25 Swachh Survekshan rankings, Gurugram claimed a leap from 140th nationally to 41st, earning the title of Haryana’s seventh-cleanest city. Though the numbers tell a paradoxical story. Over three years, door-to-door collection dropped from 98 percent in 2022-23 to just 59 percent in 2024-25. Segregation fared even worse, plunging from 97 percent to a mere 10 percent over the same period. Yet the processing rate has surged from 59 percent to 98 percent. (More data on Dataful here.) Dr Arun Kumar, Program Manager at Envirocatalysts, cut through the fog. “The city’s claim of processing 98 percent of waste is misleading when nearly half of it never even enters the formal collection system. What happens to the rest? Without complete collection and segregation, the idea of near-total processing becomes a statistical illusion rather than an operational reality.” If nearly all the waste is being processed, how can over 200 unauthorised dumping points operate daily? And how can a city with barely functional waste-processing infrastructure claim to process almost everything it produces? The answer is in Gurugram’s streets. At the first mile, no segregation. At the second, defunct sites The Solid Waste Management Rules require door-to-door collection in at least three categories – wet, dry, and domestic hazardous – using compartmentalised and covered vehicles to prevent mixing. Newslaundry found the opposite. For example, near each of the six geotagged “cleaned” sites mentioned by the MCG, carts and trolleys overflowed with mixed waste: food scraps and plastic bottles, medical waste and construction debris dumped together. Many vehicles moving this waste lacked compartments for segregation. At several primary collection points, there were no dustbins for segregated waste. For example, near the Shri Radha Krishna Mandir in Chakkarpur, residents said mixed waste was collected by the civic body. “MCG has given us a direction not to segregate the waste and collect the mixed waste as it is,” claimed local councillor Kunal Yadav. Every time it rains, the toxic leachate – rich in poisonous substances – seeps into the surrounding Aravalli forest areas. Over the last few years, government agencies including the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) have tested groundwater near the Bandhwari landfill and found high levels of iron, manganese, boron, calcium, chlorides, and nitrates far exceeding India's drinking water standards. Laboratory data dated February 9, 2022, from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) had revealed the extent of contamination.

• Director General Office

Why tiger conservation in India needs democratic participation, not displacement

Antonio Gramsci, the Italian Marxist philosopher, argued that modern states rarely rely solely on coercion to secure obedience. Instead, they maintain dominance through hegemony, the subtle shaping of public consent by embedding state narratives within civil society. In India, Project Tiger exemplifies this hegemony. Through a vast network of conservation NGOs, bureaucracies, and media campaigns, the Indian state has successfully made tiger protection appear not only a national priority but a moral duty. The result is a conservation project that commands near-universal support, even as it extends the state’s control over forests and marginalised communities. Advertisement From its inception in 1973 to 2025, Project Tiger has enjoyed unwavering political backing. What began with nine reserves has now expanded to 58 tiger reserves across 18 states, covering roughly 2.57 per cent of India’s total land area. The country today holds over 70 per cent of the world’s remaining tigers, with 3,682 tigers counted in the 2022 census. These figures are routinely celebrated as evidence of India’s global leadership in conservation and as proof that strict protection works. Yet behind this success lies a troubling truth: The immense socioeconomic cost paid by forest-dwelling communities who have been relocated, dispossessed, or criminalised in the name of conservation. At the heart of Project Tiger lies the doctrine of the “inviolate space”, land free of human presence where tigers can breed undisturbed. Official guidelines like the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) 2008 guidelines codify this, stating that “a minimum inviolate area of 800–1,200 sq km is needed to support 20 breeding tigresses for a viable population,” along with a buffer zone of 1,000–3,000 sq km for dispersing or ageing tigers. But this vision of emptiness has come at a cost. A 2024 University of Arizona study estimated that 2,54,794 people were displaced from tiger reserves between 1973 and 2021. Despite decades of critique from affected communities, NGOs, and researchers, relocation remains central to India’s conservation model. As recently as 2024, the NTCA instructed all tiger-range states to accelerate relocations from core areas of 54 reserves. The circular listed 591 villages, home to 64,801 families, to be relocated as soon as possible. What makes this injustice more striking is that it persists despite robust constitutional safeguards and statutory legislations meant to protect and promote the interests of the forest-dwelling communities, especially the tribals. Before 2006, relocations occurred on an ad-hoc basis — through government orders, Five-Year Plans, or state policies. For instance, the village of Botezari in Tadoba–Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) was relocated under the Maharashtra Project Affected Persons Rehabilitation Act (MPAPR), 1999, amended in 2001, as the process began before national reforms took effect. Since then, a robust legal framework has evolved: The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, the NTCA guidelines, 2008, and the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act, 2013. Together, these mandate that relocation be a last resort, allowed only when scientifically proven to be necessary, and that it follow free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC). Families are entitled either to monetary compensation — ₹10 lakh, later increased to ₹15 lakh — or to full resettlement, including land and basic amenities. Yet these provisions largely remain on paper. During our empirical research work on the relocation process in the Achanakmar Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh, villagers recalled signing papers they did not understand, while in Satkosia Tiger Reserve, Odisha, even after 7 years, “rehabilitation villages” lacked basic amenities. Why does this continue despite law and evidence? Because conservation in India has long been top-down and colonial in character, reproducing what Gramsci called hegemonic common sense: Ideas so normalised they appear natural. The notion that forest-dwellers are “encroachers” stems from British forest policy, which criminalised subsistence practices and claimed forests for the state. This ideology, popularly termed fortress conservation, has persisted in independent India, even though people have lived in and shaped these ecosystems for centuries. Project Tiger was born out of this worldview. Heavily influenced by international wildlife conservation organisations, the urban upper class, and a few selective conservation biologists, it mirrored Western notions of “pristine wilderness.” These groups continue to position humans as threats to wildlife, legitimising mass relocation. This logic has gone so far that tiger reserves have even been declared in areas without tigers, such as Dampa (Mizoram) and Satkosia (Odisha), relocating people to make space for an absence. When challenged, the so-called “tiger lobby”, a network of powerful conservationists and bureaucrats, has resisted reform. After the 2005 extinction of tigers in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh commissioned the Tiger Task Force. Its landmark report, “Joining the Dots,” urged a more scientific and people-centred approach. But as its chair, Sunita Narain, later wrote, its recommendations were rejected by mainstream conservationists. The same lobby is claiming that the Forest Rights Act threatens wildlife. This worldview, rooted in deep ecology purism, casts forests as the exclusive domain of tigers. Public empathy is mobilised for the animal, not for the people. The 2018 outcry over the killing of the tigress Avni (T1) in Maharashtra revealed this double standard: Outrage for the tiger’s death eclipsed the suffering of villagers living in conflict. This exclusionary model is not only unjust but ecologically shortsighted. By evicting those who have coexisted with wildlife for generations, it erodes the very social systems that sustain conservation. Excluded communities grow alienated, seeing tigers as the forest department’s property rather than part of their own landscape. In contrast, inclusive, participatory models, where local people are treated as partners, tend to yield better outcomes for both humans and wildlife. In Nagaland, communities once known for hunting Amur falcons now celebrate their arrival, protecting tens of thousands of migratory birds through persuasion and pride, not punishment. In Karnataka’s Biligiri Rangaswamy Hills, the Soliga Adivasis continue to live alongside tigers, drawing on traditional knowledge to manage forests sustainably. Such cases show that conservation succeeds when rooted in relationship, when forests are seen not as fortresses, but as shared homes. Yet coexistence, too, requires nuance. It must not be romanticised. In some cases, forest-dwelling communities genuinely wish to relocate, seeking better access to education, healthcare, or employment. Our research in Tadoba–Andhari Tiger Reserve found that while many resisted relocations, others viewed relocation as an opportunity. The challenge lies in democratising the process of declaration of the Tiger Reserve and, more importantly, the relocation process, where communities, not bureaucracies, make the final choice. Conservation science itself should be open, transparent, and participatory. If hegemony depends on the consent of the governed, then India’s conservation future depends on restoring that consent — not through coercion or spectacle, but through equity, participation, and trust. Only by democratising conservation can India protect both its tigers and the people who have lived with them since time immemorial. Srivastava is a Policy Advocacy Officer, and Sahu is a Professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai

• Down To Earth

Why most Indians blame global warming for extreme weather events

In 2024, India experienced extreme weather events on 322 days (Dowan to Earth) (https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/in-2024-india-experienced-extreme-weather-events-on-322-days-surpassing-records-of-previous-years) — almost 90% of the year. Home to over 1.4 billion people, India is the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases and one of the most climate-vulnerable nations. In 2024, India experienced extreme weather events on 322 out of 366 days, almost 90% of the year. More than a third of India's districts reported excess rainfall this monsoon, which resulted in floods and landslides that killed over 1,500 people. To better understand this, we conducted phone interviews with over 19,000 people between 2022 and 2025. We combined these interviews with demographic and geographic population characteristics, such as gender, age, caste, urbanicity, education, and climate vulnerability from the 2011 Indian Census and other datasets to estimate public opinion across 634 districts in 34 of India’s 36 states and Union territories. MOST EXPERIENCED EXTREME WEATHER A majority of Indians have experienced severe heat waves (71 per cent), agricultural pests and diseases (59 per cent), electricity power outages (59 per cent), water pollution (53 per cent), droughts and water shortages (52 per cent), and severe air pollution (51 per cent) in the last 12 months. More than one-third of Indians have experienced severe storms (41 per cent), famines and food shortages (38 per cent), severe cyclones (35 per cent), and severe floods (34 per cent). However, people report different personal experiences with extreme weather across the country. In many northern Indian states, such as Rajasthan, Delhi, and Haryana, more than three-quarters of adults say they have experienced severe heat waves compared to just over half in Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the south. This is in line with research that has found these areas to be particularly prone to heat stress. Similarly, while only 35 per cent of Indians nationwide experienced a severe cyclone, this number was 64 per cent for Odisha, which was hit hard by Cyclone Dana in October 2024. More than two-thirds of people in the state also experienced droughts and water shortages. Odisha is particularly susceptible to both. By contrast, in coastal states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and mountainous and forested states like Chandigarh and Punjab, fewer than 40 per cent said they experienced droughts and water shortages in the past year. MOST THINK GLOBAL WARMING AT FAULT Many Indians blame global warming for extreme weather events and related impacts, including extinctions of plant and animal species (81 per cent), severe heat waves (78 per cent), agricultural pests and diseases (78 per cent), droughts and water shortages (77 per cent), severe air pollution (76 per cent), water pollution (74 per cent), famines and food shortages (74 per cent), severe cyclones (73 per cent), monsoons (71 per cent), severe floods (70 per cent), severe storms (70 per cent), and electricity power outages (65 per cent). Surprisingly, many held this opinion even when they didn’t personally experience extreme weather events. For example, 74 per cent of adults in Tamil Nadu think global warming is affecting severe storms, although only 21% say they personally experienced one in the past 12 months. In Rajasthan, 70 per cent of adults think global warming is causing severe floods, despite only 28% experiencing one. Research shows that personal experience is not the only factor that shapes public attribution of extreme weather events to global warming. Other factors like education and politics can sometimes play an important role. However, climate change beliefs in India are not politically polarised as they are in the US. About 96 per cent of Indians nationally — no fewer than 90 per cent in any district — think global warming is happening when provided a short definition. In comparison, this number ranges from 45 to 89 per cent across counties in the US.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Why Delhi’s Pollution Needs Year-Round Action, Not Winter Panic

Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) experienced the season’s first severe smog episode during Diwali in October this year. Since then, the air quality trend has remained consistently high in the poor to very poor category of the air quality index. Pollution is rising even when the contribution of seasonal farm fires to Delhi’s air quality has stayed below 1-2 per cent. This signals an overpowering influence of local and regional sources of pollution that require urgent control. Every winter, when cool and calm weather conditions trap dangerous levels of air pollution close to the ground, policy discourse shifts…