Page 7 - Pollution

Southeast Asian countries consider ways to boost 'green financing'

Senior finance and central bank officials from Southeast Asia and major economies met Thursday in the scenic Laotian city of Luang Prabang to discuss ways to help the region build resilience against shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters brought on by climate change. The need for faster progress was dramatically apparent as the city and surrounding region were engulfed in heavy smoke from fires some set to clear forests for crops, some ignited by record high temperatures and tinder-dry conditions. The air quality index early Thursday was nearly 300, or very unhealthy. Laos and other countries in Southeast Asia have committed to seeking more sustainable ways to feed their people and power their economies. The question is where the money will come from to do that. Green finance is among several items on the agenda of the finance meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations related to countering the mounting impacts of global warming. The officials also were

Only 20% environmental funds utilised for NCR, shows CPCB report to NGT

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has spent only 20 per cent of the environment protection charge and environmental compensation collected so far for mitigating air pollution in Delhi-NCR and protecting the environment. The CPCB receives compensation broadly under two heads - environment protection charge (EPC) and environmental compensation (EC). According to a CPCB report submitted to the National Green Tribunal on March 20, the central pollution control body has disbursed only Rs 156.33 of the total Rs 777.69 crore collected under the two heads. The dealer/manufacturer is required to pay one per cent environment protection charge on the ex-showroom price of new diesel vehicles with engine capacity of 2000cc and above, registered only in Delhi and NCR. This is called 'environment protection charge'. The EPC is received as per an order of the Supreme Court and is utilized for air quality improvement and related work in Delhi-NCR such as research and development activities

Rain lashes in parts of Delhi, pollution levels improve with AQI at 114

Rain lashed parts of the national capital on Saturday, bringing down the pollution levels in the city. Delhi's maximum temperature settled at 25.2 degree Celsius, two notches below the season's average, the India Meteorological Department said. The city recorded a minimum temperature of 18.2 degree Celsius, five notches above season average, the weather office said. The Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital was recorded in the "moderate category with a reading of 114, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at 6 pm. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe". The weather department has predicted a generally cloudy sky with light rain for Sunday. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle around 26 and 15 degrees Celsius respectively on Sunday, it said.

UN member states meet to plan how to tackle world's environmental crises

The world's top decision-making body on the environment is meeting in Kenya's capital on Monday to discuss how countries can work together to tackle environmental crises like climate change, pollution and loss of biodiversity. The meeting in Nairobi is the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, and governments, civil society groups, scientists and the private sector are attending. None of us live on an island. We live on planet Earth, and we are all connected, Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Programme, which is leading the process, told The Associated Press ahead of the talks. The only way we can solve some of these problems is by talking together. At the meeting, member states discuss a raft of draft resolutions on a range of issues that the assembly adopts upon consensus. If a proposal is adopted, it sets the stage for countries to implement what's been agreed on. In the last round of talks in 2022, also in Nairobi, governments adopted

'Foreigners wary of pollution when considering setting base in India'

Air pollution is the primary concern for foreigners considering establishing a permanent base in India, with the issue entangled in the political blame game, a German Embassy official said on Thursday. Addressing a symposium on air pollution here, Hendrik Selle, the head of the Department for Economic and Global Affairs at the German Embassy, said that air pollution affects not only people's health but also the economy. "Air pollution, in India for example, is one of the primary factors for those abroad who consider establishing a permanent representation in the country...(They) say this is something we cannot run the risk of doing," he said. "So, it is indeed a very important concern and a multifactor problem, one that is far too often caught up in political blame game. The brick kiln worker attributes it to vehicular pollution, the stubble-burning farmer blames it on farmers in another state...which is not what we need. We need political action both nationally and internationally,

Coast Guard ship conducts demonstration of pollution response at sea

With 152 ships and 78 aircraft in its arsenal, the ICG is on track to achieve its targeted force levels of 200 surface platforms and 100 aircraft by 2030

MCD to set up 100 debris collection points across Delhi to curb pollution

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is in the process of establishing 100 debris collection points in the national capital to mitigate pollution, officials said on Saturday. While 35 of them are already operational in various zones, locations have been identified for another 49, the MCD said in a statement. According to reports, construction activity is a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi. "To address this issue, the MCD, in collaboration with A-PAG and C&D (construction and demolition) plant concessionaires, has established debris collection points across the Delhi region," the statement said. In the initial phase, the MCD conducted a pilot project in 10 wards of the West zone, establishing three dedicated collection sites. This initiative yielded "remarkable results", showing a significant reduction of 46 per cent in illegal dumping of debris, the statement said. Expanding on this, the MCD is currently in the process of establishing nearly 100 collection points, .

Prez Murmu confers 'bal puraskars', urges kids to play sports for wellbeing

Cautioning youngsters against excessive use of electronic devices, President Droupadi Murmu on Monday said it is leading to an increase in various health issues and urged them take up at least one sports. Murmu was addressing a gathering at the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar function here. The award was given to 19 children -- nine boys and 10 girls -- from 18 states and Union Territories for exceptional bravery, artistic prowess, innovative thinking and selfless service. She also stressed on the importance of responsible use of technology. While commending the use of technology by children for educational and personal development, the president cautioned against its misuse, citing concerns such as deep-fakes, financial frauds and child exploitation. "Social media, while a powerful tool for communication and awareness, is also misused for spreading rumours. Therefore, it is essential to stay vigilant and avoid such activities as a wrong step can jeopardise your future," Murm

India tops global indoor pollution with average annual PM2.5 levels: Study

India has topped a global indoor air pollution chart with the highest average annual PM2.5 levels followed by China, Turkey, UAE and South Korea, according to a study. Moreover, on the list of cities with highest average annual PM2.5 levels, national capital Delhi was on the top amongst the studied cities, followed by Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Busan, a Dyson statement said. The Dyson Global Connected Air Quality Data project analyses more than half a trillion data points, to understand user behaviours and compare indoor and outdoor air quality. The national sample size for India is 37,013 connected Dyson air purifiers. "India recorded the highest average annual PM2.5 levels, followed by China, Turkey, UAE, and South Korea, while in terms of indoor average VOCs, India ranked 7th among the top 10," said the report for which the data were collected from Dyson Purifiers connected to its app. It further said: "Moreover, Delhi topped the list of PM2.5 levels, amongst the studied .

Delhi AQI continues to be very poor, maximum temperature below normal

Delhi weather forecast: According to IMD, Delhi's weather is likely to improve after January 7 with chances of drizzle on January 8 and 9

Centre revokes restrictions set under Stage-III of Grap in Delhi-NCR

The Centre on Monday ordered the revocation of anti-pollution restrictions under Stage-III of GRAP in the entire Delhi-NCR with immediate effect. The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for formulating strategies to combat pollution in the region, met on January 1 following improvement in air quality. The sub-committee of CAQM revoked the Stage-III of GRAP in view of the forecasts by the IMD/IITM for meteorological conditions and air quality index of Delhi, officials said. According to the forecast, the AQI of Delhi has been progressively improving and has been recorded as 346 at 4:O0 PM which is about 55 AQI points below the threshold for invoking the GRAP Stage-III actions (Delhi AQI 401-450) and there is a likelihood of sustaining the improvement in AQI. Furthermore, the forecast does not indicate any deterioration further and there is a likelihood of the AQI improving while remaining in Ve

ONGC seeks partners to cut gas flaring, zero methane emission by 2030

India's top oil and gas producer ONGC is seeking global technology partners to cut gas flaring and achieve zero methane emission by 2030 as part of its ambitious decarbonisation plan, its chairman Arun Kumar Singh said on Monday. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has substantially cut gas flaring -- burning of methane gas that is produced when oil is extracted from below surface -- and would look to bring it down to nil as part of its environmental commitments. In a post on LinkedIn, Singh said India's role in the global energy landscape is progressively becoming pivotal, and is likely to account for 25 per cent of global energy demand growth over the next two decades. According to the International Energy Agency, India's share in global primary energy consumption is expected to rise to 9.8 per cent by 2050. "India's share in cumulative global green-house-gas (GHG) emissions has been only 4 per cent, and current emission is 7 per cent, despite its population share of 16-17 per

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Delhi air quality: AQI in several parts of capital 'very poor' on Tuesday

Delhi air quality update: Delhi's AQI is likely to deteriorate and reach the 'severe' category on December 27, the Early Warning System (EWS) predicted

New Delhi's AQI recorded under 'severe' category on Saturday morning

The air quality index (AQI) in the national capital on Saturday morning was recorded under 'severe' category, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said. The AQI in the national capital was recorded at 447, which comes under the severe' category. An Air Quality Index (AQI) between zero and 50 is considered good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 very poor', 401 and 450 'severe' and above 450 severe-plus'. The Centre on Friday ordered a ban on non-essential construction work and plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi-NCR amid worsening AQI in the region. Unfavourable meteorological conditions, including fog and haze, with low wind speed are the major causes behind this sudden spike in Delhi's daily average AQI, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for formulating strategies to combat pollution in the region, said. Re-invoking curbs under Stage-III of the Graded

Cutting pollution to Covid level may stop glaciers from disappearing: Study

Reducing air pollution to levels similar to those during the COVID-19 pandemic could protect the Himalayan glaciers and prevent them from disappearing by the end of the century, a study by an international research team from India, Germany and the UK has found. Analysing the situation during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, the team found that cleaner air during the period ensured that less soot was deposited on the glaciers, resulting in 0.5 to 1.5 milimeter (mm) less snow melting per day. The rapid retreat of glaciers and the loss of snow cover already pose a threat to the sustainable water supply of billions of people in Asia who live in the catchment areas of rivers such as the Indus, Ganges and Yangtze, according the researchers. If emissions of air pollutants such as soot could be reduced to at least the level of the lockdowns, snowmelt could be reduced by up to half, they said. The study, published in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, found that a switch to clean

Delhi largest green belt among metros, pollution down since AAP govt: Rai

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Friday the national capital has the largest green belt at 23.6 per cent among big metro cities, and asserted that pollution levels in the city have reduced since 2014 through sustained efforts. Rai responded to a query by an MLA about the number of trees planted and the decrease in pollution levels in the last five years in Delhi during the ongoing Winter Session of Delhi Assembly. "Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had made a resolve and promised the people during last polls that in five years two crore new trees will be planted. And in four years that target has been met," Rai informed the Delhi Assembly. Rai added that the plantation drive will be intensified in the remaining one year. On the issue of pollution, Rai shared the data on PM10 and PM2.5 levels, saying on average there has been a 31 per cent reduction in pollution levels since the formation of the AAP government. In 2014 , the yearly average of PM10 stood at 324 and st

'Avoid unilateral barriers' call a win for India at COP28 climate summit

Another senior negotiator revealed that the target of this crucial inclusion in the global stocktake text was not just the CBAM, but also the Inflation Reduction Act of the US

Air quality in Delhi remains in 'poor' category, overall AQI at 276

The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi, as per SAFAR-India (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research), was recorded at 276 on Thursday morning

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