In News:

Paddy straw burning, prevalent in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, contributes to severe air pollution, especially during the post-harvest period in October and November. Despite various government measures and subsidies to reduce stubble burning, it continues due to economic and operational constraints faced by farmers. To address this issue, innovative technologies for the productive use of paddy straw need to be explored.

Stubble Burning: Causes and Consequences

Reasons for Stubble Burning

• Short Crop Cycles: The narrow window between paddy harvest and wheat sowing forces farmers to burn straw to prepare fields quickly.
• Economic Constraints: High costs of alternative residue management methods.
• Lack of Awareness: Farmers are often unaware of sustainable alternatives.
• Limited Mechanization: Availability of crop residue management machinery is inadequate.
• Policy Gaps: Ineffective enforcement of regulations and insufficient incentives.

Consequences of Stubble Burning

• Air Pollution: Emission of harmful pollutants like PM2.5, CO2, and CO contributes to air quality degradation.
• Health Hazards: Increased respiratory illnesses due to the inhalation of toxic fumes.
• Soil Degradation: Loss of essential nutrients and organic matter.
• Climate Change: Stubble burning releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
• Economic Costs: Increased health care costs and loss of soil fertility.

Technologies for Paddy Straw Utilization

Large-Scale Technologies

• Direct Combustion:Burns rice straw under controlled conditions to generate heat for cooking and industrial uses. While its calorific value is lower than that of petrol and diesel, it is still viable for local energy generation.
• Pyrolysis and Gasification:
  • Pyrolysis: Converts rice straw into bio-oil through heating at 200-760°C in the absence of oxygen.
  • Gasification: Converts rice straw into syngas at higher temperatures (480-1,650°C) with limited oxygen. Challenges include low gas production and tar accumulation.
• Biochar Production:Rice straw is incinerated at lower temperatures to produce biochar, which is used as a soil conditioner to improve fertility, water retention, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Power Generation:Biomass-based power plants use rice straw to generate electricity, providing a sustainable energy source, especially for rural areas. States like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh are scaling up such plants.
• Pellet Production:Rice straw is compressed into compact pellets, improving its density, transportability, and combustion efficiency. These pellets can partially replace coal in power plants, offering an alternative use for crop residue.
• Biofuels:Conversion of rice straw into biofuels like ethanol and biogas helps reduce dependency on fossil fuels and supports the renewable energy transition.
• Paper Production:Rice straw, with its high cellulose content, is used as an eco-friendly alternative to wood in the paper and pulp industry, reducing environmental impact.

Small-Scale Technologies

• Composting:Rice straw can be composted to produce organic fertilizer, enhancing soil health. Vermicomposting is another effective method, though awareness among farmers remains low.
• Mushroom Cultivation:Rice straw serves as an ideal substrate for growing mushrooms, particularly species like Volvariellavolvacea. This practice provides an additional income source for farmers.
• Silica Extraction:Rice straw contains high silica content, which can be extracted for industrial applications like construction and electronics.
• Fodder for Ruminants:Though rice straw is low in digestibility due to high silica content, it can be used as animal feed after pre-treatment, such as drying, grinding, or chemical processes to enhance its nutritional value.
• Adsorbent for Pollution Control:Rice straw can be used to remove heavy metals and toxins from contaminated water, showing promise in environmental cleanup efforts.
• Soil Incorporation:Instead of burning, rice straw can be incorporated directly into the soil to improve fertility, moisture retention, and crop yield. This practice is already being adopted in regions like Punjab and Haryana.

Conclusion: Path Forward

Stubble burning continues to be a significant environmental challenge, but the development and adoption of technologies for utilizing paddy straw can offer viable solutions. Both large- and small-scale technologies can convert rice straw into valuable products like biofuels, power, and fertilizers. To ensure widespread implementation, efforts must be made to increase awareness among farmers and stakeholders, coupled with strong policy support and infrastructural investment. A collaborative approach involving the government, industries, and farmers is essential for sustainable management of rice straw, benefiting both the environment and the economy.

In News:

• The WWF Living Planet Report 2024 highlights a drastic 73% decline in the average size of monitored wildlife populations globally from 1970 to 2020.
• The report underscores the urgent need for biodiversity conservation to maintain ecological balance, food security, and human health.

Key Findings of the 2024 Report

Wildlife Population Decline

• 73% Decline in monitored wildlife populations over the past 50 years (1970-2020).
• Freshwater species: Declined by 85%, the most significant drop.
• Terrestrial species: Declined by 69%.
• Marine species: Declined by 56%.

Main Threats to Wildlife

• Habitat Loss: Primary driver, particularly due to the expansion of food systems.
• Overexploitation: Over-hunting, fishing, and resource extraction.
• Invasive Species: Non-native species disrupt local ecosystems.
• Pollution: Water, air, and soil contamination, especially in Asia-Pacific.
• Disease: Emerging diseases impacting wildlife populations.

Ecosystem Risks and Tipping Points

• Decline in wildlife signals risks of ecosystem tipping points.
• Critical ecosystems, like the Amazon and coral reefs, face potential irreversible damage.
• Impact on global food security and livelihoods due to ecosystem collapse.

India’s Wildlife Status

• Vulture populations in India remain critically endangered.
• Tiger populations have increased to 3,682 (2022).
• Snow leopards have been successfully monitored with 718 individuals recorded.

Case Study: Chennai’s Wetland Loss

• 85% reduction in Chennai’s wetlands due to urban expansion, exacerbating flood and drought risks.
• Initiatives like the Tamil Nadu Wetland Mission aim to restore these wetlands to improve ecosystem resilience.

Impacts of Wildlife Decline

• Ecosystem Imbalance
  • Disruption in predator-prey relationships, pollination, and nutrient cycles due to species decline.
  • Leads to ecosystem instability and potential collapse.
• Loss of Biodiversity
  • Reduced genetic diversity makes ecosystems less resilient to environmental changes.
  • Increases vulnerability to diseases, natural disasters, and climate change.
• Threats to Food Security
  • Pollinators like bees and insects are essential for crop yields.
  • Loss of pollinators threatens global food supply and agriculture.
• Human Health Implications
  • Healthy ecosystems regulate disease by controlling pest populations.
  • Declining biodiversity increases the risk of zoonotic diseases, such as COVID-19.
• Economic Consequences
  • Agriculture, fisheries, and tourism industries depend on healthy ecosystems.
  • Decline in wildlife can lead to job losses and economic instability.
• Cultural and Social Impacts
  • Wildlife holds cultural, spiritual, and recreational value for societies worldwide.
  • Loss of iconic species diminishes cultural identities and opportunities for nature-based tourism.

Challenges in Biodiversity Conservation

• Inadequate National Actions
  • Despite global commitments (e.g., Global Biodiversity Framework, Paris Agreement, UN SDGs), national actions are insufficient to meet 2030 biodiversity targets.
  • Risk of crossing tipping points that could lead to irreversible ecosystem degradation.
• Key Drivers of Biodiversity Loss
  • Habitat Loss: Driven by agriculture, urbanization, and infrastructure development.
  • Climate Change: Rising temperatures, extreme weather, and altered precipitation patterns.
  • Overexploitation: Unsustainable hunting, fishing, logging, and resource extraction.
  • Pollution: Industrial, agricultural, and plastic pollution disrupt natural habitats.
  • Invasive Species: Non-native species outcompeting and threatening native populations.
  • Lack of Funding: Inadequate financial resources for effective conservation.
  • Weak Policy and Enforcement: Poorly implemented habitat protection laws.
  • Human-Wildlife Conflict: Increased interactions between expanding human populations and wildlife.
  • Genetic Diversity Loss: Reduced genetic diversity makes species vulnerable to diseases and environmental changes.
  • Awareness Gaps: Insufficient public awareness on the importance of biodiversity.

Conclusion and Way Forward

Policy and Action Recommendations

• Expand protected areas and restore ecosystems to halt biodiversity loss.
• Engage Indigenous communities in conservation and land management practices.
• Promote sustainable farming, reduce food waste, and encourage plant-based diets to lessen food production impacts.
• Shift to renewable energy and reduce fossil fuel use to mitigate climate change.
• Redirect investments from environmentally harmful sectors to nature-friendly industries.

WWF-India’s Call for Collective Action

• WWF-India advocates for collective action to align climate, conservation, and sustainable development policies.
• The goal is to ensure a resilient and thriving future for both biodiversity and human societies.