In News:

The 2024 edition of The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change presents critical insights into the intersection of health and climate change.

Key Findings from the 2024 Report

• Air Pollution and Mortality in India:
  • In 2021, air pollution was responsible for 1.6 million deaths in India.
  • Fossil fuels (coal and liquid gas) were identified as major contributors, accounting for 38% of these deaths.
  • India was ranked as the second-highest emitter of PM2.5 globally in 2022, contributing 15.8% of consumption-based and 16.9% of production-based PM2.5 emissions.
• Impact of Heat Stress:
  • In 2023, India experienced 2400 hours (or 100 days) of moderate to high heat stress, particularly during light outdoor activities like walking.
  • Heatwaves have become more frequent, with adults over 65 years experiencing 8.4 heatwave days per year, a 58% increase from 1990-1999.
  • This increased heat exposure has led to a loss of 181 billion labor hours globally, translating into an economic loss of approximately $141 billion.
• Global and National Trends in Air Pollution:
  • PM2.5 is particularly hazardous because it is fine enough to enter the lungs and bloodstream, leading to severe health risks like respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
  • Nitrogen Dioxide (NO?), Sulphur Dioxide (SO?), Carbon Monoxide (CO), and Ozone (O?) were identified as other pollutants contributing to poor air quality in India.
• Health Impact of Extreme Weather:
  • The 2023 heatwave was one of the hottest years on record, exacerbating health risks worldwide, especially for the elderly.
  • Droughts and heatwaves also contributed to a rise in food insecurity, affecting millions globally.
• Disease Transmission and Climate Change:
  • Dengue transmission potential rose by 85% from 1951-1960 to 2014-2023.
  • Coastal areas suitable for the spread of Vibrio pathogens, which cause cholera, expanded by 23%, affecting over 210 million people.
• Health Effects of Fossil Fuel Pollution:
  • Continued reliance on fossil fuels worsens air quality, leading to health problems such as respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Government Efforts to Tackle Air Pollution in India

• National Clean Air Programme (NCAP):
  • NCAP is a national strategy to reduce air pollution across India, with specific action plans for 131 non-attainment cities. The initiative is supported through various central government schemes such as:
    1. Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban)
    2. Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)
    3. Smart City Mission
    4. Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME-II)
• Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) Emission Norms:
  • BS-VI standards aim to significantly reduce vehicular pollution, lowering permissible limits for NOx and particulate matter (PM) emissions from vehicles.
• System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR):
  • SAFAR measures air quality and provides forecasts for metropolitan cities based on real-time data, helping authorities take preventive actions.
• Promotion of Renewable Energy:
  • India achieved a record 11% of electricity from renewable energy in 2022. However, 71% of India’s electricity still comes from coal, underscoring the need for a faster transition to cleaner energy sources.

In News:

According to the WMO, the last time the earth had a similar CO2 concentration was 3-5 million years ago, when temperatures were 2-3°C higher and sea levels were 10-20 metres higher than they are now

Key Highlights:

• Record High Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Levels:
  • In 2023, annual mean carbon dioxide (CO2) levels rose by 2.3 parts per million (ppm), reaching a new record of 420 ppm.
  • This marks the 12th consecutive year with an increase of over 2 ppm in CO2 levels.
• Historical Context:
  • CO2 levels not seen in 3-5 million years, when temperatures were 2-3°C higher, and sea levels were 10-20 meters higher than they are today.
• Key GHGs at Record Highs:
  • The globally averaged surface concentrations of CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide all reached new highs in 2023.
• Contributors to the Increase in CO2:
  • Natural Variability: Natural factors such as large vegetation fires and reduced carbon absorption by forests contributed to higher CO2 levels.
  • Human Activity: High fossil fuel emissions from human and industrial activities also played a major role.
  • El Niño Phenomenon: The El Niño event led to higher temperatures and drier conditions, exacerbating the rise in GHG levels through increased wildfires and reduced carbon absorption by land sinks.
• Climate Feedback Loop Concerns:
  • The WMO warned of a vicious cycle:
    • Climate change could cause ecosystems to become larger sources of GHGs.
    • Wildfires could release more carbon, and warmer oceans may absorb less CO2, leading to more CO2 remaining in the atmosphere, accelerating global warming.
• Radiative Forcing:
  • Radiative forcing (the warming effect on climate) from long-lived GHGs has increased by 51.5% from 1990 to 2023, with CO2 contributing 81% of this increase.
• Methane Concerns:
  • Methane saw its largest three-year increase between 2020 and 2022.
  • This increase was linked to warmer temperatures and wetter land conditions during the 2020-2022 La Niña conditions, which caused an uptick in methane emissions from natural wetlands.
• Long-Term Impact of CO2:
  • Given CO2's long atmospheric lifetime, even with rapid emissions reductions, the warming effect will persist for several decades.

In News:

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recently published the Emissions Gap Report 2024, in anticipation of the COP29 meeting of the UNFCCC to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Key Highlights:

• Current Trajectory of Global Warming:
  • If countries continue with current environmental policies, global temperatures are expected to rise by 3.1°C above pre-industrial levels.
  • This is significantly higher than the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to well below 2°C, with an effort to cap it at 1.5°C.
• Paris Agreement at Risk:
  • Even if all Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are fully implemented (including both unconditional and conditional emissions reduction targets), the world would still experience 2.6°C of warming by 2030.
  • This presents a major challenge to achieving the Paris Agreement’s climate goals.
• Urgent Need for Action:
  • To limit global warming to 1.5°C, greenhouse gas emissions must peak before 2025 and decline by 43% by 2030.
  • The report highlights the emission gap between current pledges and what is required to meet the 1.5°C goal.
• Record High Emissions:
  • Global greenhouse gas emissions hit a record 57.1 gigatons of CO? equivalent in 2023.
  • This represents an increase of 1.3% compared to 2022, continuing the upward trend from the previous decade.
• India’s Emissions:
  • India’s greenhouse gas emissions grew by 6.1% between 2022 and 2023.
  • Per capita emissions in India were 2.9 tCO?e in 2022, significantly lower than China (11 tCO?e) and the U.S. (18 tCO?e).
• G20 Countries’ Contribution:
  • G20 countries, excluding the African Union, contributed 77% of global emissions in 2023.
  • The six largest emitters (including China, U.S., and India) were responsible for 63% of global emissions.
  • This shows a significant imbalance in emissions, with developed countries having much higher per capita emissions compared to developing nations like India and Africa.
• Necessary Emissions Cuts:
  • To keep the 1.5°C target within reach, global emissions need to be cut by at least 7.5% annually until 2035.
  • Cost of bridging the emissions gap: Achieving net-zero by 2050 will require USD 900 billion to USD 2.1 trillion annually, approximately 1% of global GDP.
• Emission Reduction Pathways:
  • Renewable Energy: Scaling up solar and wind energy technologies could contribute up to 27% of the required emissions reductions by 2030.
  • Forest Conservation: Protecting and restoring forests could provide 20% of the required emissions reductions by 2030.
  • Other crucial measures include improving energy efficiency, transitioning to electric vehicles, and focusing on fuel switching in key sectors like transport, industry, and buildings.
• Disparities in Emissions:
  • Despite changes over the past two decades, large disparities remain between emissions across regions.
  • Developed countries have three times higher per capita emissions compared to the global average, while India, the African Union, and least developed countries continue to have much lower emissions.
• Call to Action:
  • UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen urged countries to act now, stating: “No more hot air, please.” The urgency is to ramp up climate pledges and ensure stronger actions in the upcoming COP29 talks in Baku, Azerbaijan (November 2024), where nations must work to get on a 1.5°C pathway.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• Established: 1972, following the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm.
• Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya.
• Governing Body: The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), which is the world’s highest-level decision-making body on environmental matters, with 193 Member States.
• Programs & Initiatives: UNEP leads global efforts on climate action, ecosystem restoration, clean seas, and supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Reports: UNEP publishes crucial assessments like the Emissions Gap Report, Global Environment Outlook, and Adaptation Gap Report, influencing global environmental policies.

In News:

• The 2024 edition of the IAEA’s Climate Change and Nuclear Power report has been released, highlighting the need for a significant increase in investment to achieve goals for expanding nuclear power.
• The new report was launched last week on the margins of the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) in Brazil.

Key Highlights:

• Nuclear Power's Role in Climate Change Mitigation:
  • Nuclear energy is gaining global interest as nations seek to enhance energy security and decarbonize economies.
  • To meet net-zero emissions by 2050, nuclear power is projected to play a pivotal role, with a projected capacity increase of 2.5 times the current level by mid-century in the IAEA's high case scenario.
• Investment Needs for Nuclear Expansion:
  • Annual investment required to meet the IAEA's high case scenario (2050 nuclear capacity) is USD 125 billion, a significant increase from USD 50 billion annually from 2017-2023.
  • If the aspirational goal to triple nuclear capacity (as pledged by over 20 countries at COP28) is to be met, USD 150 billion annually would be necessary.
  • Challenges in Financing: Upfront capital for nuclear power plants is expensive, posing challenges, especially in market-driven economies and developing countries.
• Private Sector and Multilateral Support:
  • The private sector will need to play a larger role in financing nuclear projects.
  • The IAEA is engaging with multilateral development banks to improve financing options for developing countries to invest in nuclear energy.
  • Private finance initiatives: In September 2024, 14 major financial institutions signaled readiness to help fund nuclear newbuild projects.
• Nuclear Financing at Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM):
  • The IAEA report was launched during the 15th CEM in Brazil, a high-level forum for advancing clean energy technologies.
  • Key stakeholders from Brazil, the IAEA, the International Energy Agency (IEA), and the U.S. discussed strategies for securing nuclear power financing, especially in the context of COP29 (2024) where clean energy financing will be a key focus.
• Nuclear Energy in the EU’s Sustainable Financing:
  • The EU taxonomy for sustainable activities now includes nuclear power, facilitating the issuance of green bonds for nuclear projects in Finland and France (2023).
  • EDF received €4 billion in green bonds and around €7 billion in green loans (2022-2024).
• Investment in Nuclear Power:
  • To meet global climate goals, nuclear power capacity must increase by 1.8 times by 2035.
  • Effective financing mechanisms are crucial to scale up nuclear power and develop the workforce and supply chains needed for the energy transition.
• Policy Reform and International Partnerships:
  • The report advocates for policy reforms and international partnerships to bridge the financing gap and accelerate nuclear power deployment, particularly in emerging markets and developing economies.
  • Focus on technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs), which could play a role in the energy transition.
• Key Areas to Support Nuclear Growth:
  • Robust regulatory frameworks and new delivery models are essential to unlock investments.
  • Development of skilled labor and effective stakeholder engagement is crucial for the expansion of nuclear energy.
• Energy System Modelling and Planning:
  • The IAEA’s energy system modelling tools assist countries like Brazil in planning nuclear power projects, including cost analyses for electricity generation and financing strategies.

Role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):

• Mandate: The IAEA is the leading international body for promoting the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear energy and technologies.
• Functions:
  • Nuclear safeguards: Ensuring nuclear activities remain peaceful and preventing the diversion of nuclear materials for weapons purposes.
  • Assisting member states with technical support, knowledge sharing, and strengthening nuclear safety and security.
  • The IAEA also supports capacity-building and emergency response in case of nuclear or radiological incidents.
• Structure:
  • The IAEA General Conference is made up of all 178 member states, meeting annually to approve budgets and policies.
  • The Board of Governors (35 members) meets several times a year to oversee the agency's activities and appointments.
• Headquarters: Vienna, Austria
  • The IAEA is part of the United Nations family, reporting to both the UN General Assembly and the Security Council.

In News:

• The Union Government has sanctioned three pilot projects under the National Green Hydrogen Mission to explore the use of green hydrogen in steel production.
  • The initiative aims to demonstrate safe and efficient hydrogen-based steelmaking processes, validate their technical feasibility, and evaluate economic viability for low-carbon steel production.
• Objectives of the Scheme:
  • Identify and test advanced technologies for utilizing green hydrogen in the steel sector.
  • Demonstrate safe and secure operation of hydrogen-based steel production.
  • Validate technical and economic feasibility, contributing to decarbonization of iron and steel manufacturing.
• Pilot Project Components:
  • • 100% Hydrogen-based Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) using vertical shaft furnaces.
    • Hydrogen use in Blast Furnace to reduce coal/coke consumption.
    • Hydrogen injection in vertical shaft-based DRI units.
• Sanctioned Pilot Projects:

• Matrix Gas and Renewables Ltd
  • Capacity: 50 tons per day (TPD).
  • Consortium Partners: Gensol Engineering Ltd, IIT Bhubaneswar, Metsol AB (Sweden).
• Simplex Castings Ltd
  • Capacity: 40 TPD.
  • Consortium Partners: BSBK Pvt. Ltd., Ten Eight Investment, IIT Bhilai.
• Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL)
  • Capacity: 3,200 TPD (Ranchi).

• Financial Support:
  • Total Government Funding: ?347 crore for the three projects.
  • These pilot projects are expected to be commissioned within the next three years and may serve as a blueprint for scaling up such technologies in India.
• About the National Green Hydrogen Mission:
  • Launched: January 4, 2023.
  • Total Budget: ?19,744 crore (up to FY 2029-30).
  • Primary Goal: Establish India as a global hub for green hydrogen production and export while fostering decarbonization in sectors like steel, mobility, and energy.
• Key Features of the Mission:
  • SIGHT (Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition):
    • Supports domestic manufacturing of electrolysers and promotes the production and use of green hydrogen.
  • Expected Outcomes by 2030:
    • Green Hydrogen Production: At least 5 million metric tons (MMT) annually.
    • Renewable Energy: Addition of 125 GW in renewable energy capacity.
    • Investment: Over ?8 lakh crore in green hydrogen technologies.
    • Employment: Creation of 6 lakh jobs.
    • Reduction in Fossil Fuel Imports: Savings of over ?1 lakh crore.
    • GHG Emissions Reduction: Avoidance of nearly 50 MMT of annual greenhouse gas emissions.
• Phase-wise Implementation:
  • Phase I (2022-26): Focus on demand creation and initial deployment in existing hydrogen-using sectors (like steel and mobility).
  • Phase II (2026-30): Expansion to new sectors with a push toward commercialization of green hydrogen.

The National Green Hydrogen Mission aims to significantly decarbonize India’s steel sector and other industries by leveraging hydrogen technology. With ?347 crore allocated for pilot projects in steelmaking, the initiative sets the stage for scalable, low-carbon steel production, contributing to India's clean energy transition and supporting its goal to become a global leader in green hydrogen.

Why is it in the News?

Extreme weather is becoming more frequent and more intense in many places around the world because of climate change.

How Does Climate Change Impact Extreme Weather Events?

• The Earth's average temperature has gone up by at least 1.1 degrees Celsius since 1850, mostly because of human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation.
• This temperature rise has led to more frequent and stronger extreme weather events worldwide, such as heatwaves, droughts, floods, hurricanes, and wildfires.
• It's hard to directly blame one single weather event on climate change because there are many factors involved.
• However, studies can tell us if climate change made a particular event worse or more likely to happen.
  • For example, after a deadly heatwave in Western Europe in 2019, a study found that climate change made that heatwave five times more likely to occur.
  • In India, heatwaves have become longer because of global warming, and they're expected to get even worse in the future.
  • Climate models predict that by the 2040s, heatwaves might become 12 times more common.
• Higher temperatures also make droughts worse.
  • In East Africa, for instance, a severe drought happened between 2020 and 2022, leading to famine and displacing millions of people.
  • A report found that climate change made droughts like this at least 100 times more likely in that region.
• Warmer temperatures also contribute to wildfires by drying out land and making it easier for fires to start and spread.
  • In Canada, for example, a study showed that climate change doubled the chances of extreme fire conditions.
  • This was particularly concerning because Canada recently faced its worst wildfire season ever.
• As temperatures rise, the air can hold more moisture, leading to heavier rainfall and more flooding during storms.
  • Warm air can also dry out the soil, making droughts worse. But when warm, moist air meets cooler air, it can lead to more intense storms and flooding.
• There's also evidence that climate change is making hurricanes stronger and more frequent.
  • Warmer oceans provide more energy for hurricanes to form and intensify.
  • The oceans have absorbed a lot of the extra heat from greenhouse gases, making them warmer.
  • This, in turn, leads to stronger storms and more damage when they hit land.
• So, while climate change doesn't directly cause any single weather event, it's making extreme weather events more common and more severe, putting people and ecosystems at risk.

Why is it in the News?

The Indian Himalayas are experiencing an unusual lack of snowfall this winter, impacting ski resorts and prompting holiday cancellations.

Key Highlights of the Report:

• Unprecedented precipitation deficit: December witnessed an alarming 80% precipitation deficit in the western Himalayan region.
  • The ongoing dry spell in January is attributed to the absence of active western disturbances this winter season, as reported by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
• Impact on freshwater resources: Experts warn of potential impacts on freshwater availability in the Himalayan region.
  • The extended dry spell poses a threat to horticulture and agricultural production, raising concerns among experts.
• Unseasonal blooming and alarming temperature anomalies: Despite being peak winter, Ladakh and Kashmir experienced unusually warm temperatures, leading to early crop blooming.
  • A report by IMD scientists reveals maximum temperatures 5-8 degrees Celsius below normal over the northern plains since December 29.
• Challenges to water levels and ecosystems: Experts also highlight the significance of the Chillai Kalan snowfall period as the only freshwater source.
  • The prolonged dry spell has resulted in reduced water levels in rivers and streams, posing challenges to the region's ecosystems.

Factors contributing to severe weather conditions:

• Scientists attribute the severe weather to three main factors:
  • Lack of active western disturbances
  • Prevailing El Nino conditions, and
  • A strong jet stream.
• El Nino, characterised by abnormal warming in the central Pacific Ocean, contributes to altered weather patterns.
• Mechanics of fog formation: Scientists explain the three conditions required for fog formation: weak low-level winds, moisture, and overnight cooling.
  • The lack of strong western disturbances disrupts these conditions, contributing to the prolonged fog.
• Persistent jet streams and cold wave conditions: Strong jet streams prevailing over north India for the last five days have led to the subsidence of cold air, enhancing cold wave/cold day conditions.

These conditions are expected to continue over the next five days, intensifying the challenges posed by the ongoing weather anomalies.

Why in the News?

Migratory birds have started their annual journey to Chilika Lake—India’s largest waterbird habitat in Odisha — ahead of winter this year.

About Chilika Lake:

• Chilika Lake is the largest brackish water lake and a shallow lagoon with estuarine character spread across the districts of Puri, Khurda and Ganjam in the state of Odisha in eastern India.
• It is considered to be the largest lagoon in India and is counted amongst the largest lagoons in the world.
• It is the largest wintering ground for migratory waterfowl found anywhere on the Indian sub-continent.
• It is one of the hotspots of biodiversity in the country, and some rare, vulnerable and endangered species listed in the IUCN Red List of threatened Animals inhabit the Lake area for at least part of their life cycle.
• On account of its rich bio-diversity, Chilika Lake was designated as a "Ramsar Site", i.e. a wetland of International Importance.
• The Nalaban Island within the lake is notified as a Bird Sanctuary under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• The National Wetlands, Mangroves and Coral Reefs Committee of the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India, have also identified the lake as a priority site for conservation and management.
• The Lake is a highly productive ecosystem, with rich fishery resources.
• The rich fishing grounds sustain the livelihood of more than 0.2 million fisherfolk who live in and around the lake.
• It has a great heritage value and maritime trade to the far east countries used to take place from here.
• It is the largest winter ground of migratory birds in the Indian sub-continent and home to more than 150 highly threatened Irrawaddy dolphins, which is the largest lagoonal population globally.
• It supports some of the largest congregation of migratory birds from large parts of Asia, particularly during the winters that arrive from as far as the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, Aral Sea, remote parts of Russia, Kirghiz steppes of Mongolia, Central and South East Asia, Ladakh and the Himalayas to feed and breed in its fertile waters.

Why in the News?

Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav on Thursday launched a Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC), conceptualised under India’s G20 Presidency, to promote the practices of resource efficiency and circular economy globally.

About Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC):

• RECEIC was launched in 2023 at Chennai, Tamil Nadu, with the honorable presence of Shri Bhupender Yadav, Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
• The launch event witnessed the participation of distinguished guests, including the Commissioner on Environment from the European Union and esteemed Ministers from Canada, France, Italy, Denmark, Mauritius, and the United Arab Emirates.
• Industry-Driven Initiative:
• RECEIC is an industry-led initiative with a primary goal of fostering global resource efficiency and circular economy practices.
• Embracing the circular economy model, RECEIC promotes production and consumption practices involving sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling materials and products to maximize their utility.
• Sustainable Impact:
• The coalition is envisioned to be a self-sustaining entity, committed to lasting environmental sustainability, beyond India's G20 Presidency.
• Founding Members:
• With 39 companies headquartered in 11 different countries, the coalition boasts a diverse group of founding members.
• As a collaborative platform, RECEIC fosters knowledge-sharing, best practice exchange, and the adoption of sustainable approaches among participating industries.

Why in the News?

Recently, scientists warned that Haploclastus nilgirinus, a tarantula species, may face endangerment due to habitat loss and the effects of climate change.

About Haploclastus Nilgirinus:

• This tarantula species, known as Haploclastus nilgirinus, is a venomous and rarely seen spider that burrows in the Nilgiri hills of the Western Ghats.
• Notably, there is a significant difference in size between males and females of this species, with the males being considerably smaller.
• The primary threats to Haploclastus nilgirinus are illegal wildlife trade and the impact of climate change.

What is a tarantula?

• Tarantulas are a type of large, hairy spider belonging to the Theraphosidae family.
• They are found all around the world, except for Antarctica.
• These spiders move slowly on their eight hairy legs but are skilled nocturnal predators.
• Adult tarantulas typically measure around five inches (13 centimeters) in length, and when their legs are fully extended, their span can reach up to 11 inches (28 centimeters).